The Truth About Great White Sharks [Hardcover]

Mary M. Cerullo (Author), Jeffrey L. Rotman (Photographer)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up | Series: Truth About

Do great white sharks hunt humans? Can a great white eat a boat? Are great white sharks cold-blooded killers?
Take a trip to the ocean's depth to learn the truth about these infamous creatures. From the most current information on their swimming habits and ancient ancestors to details about their conveyor belt of teeth, armored skin and super senses, kids will be fascinated by these amazing creatures. Special sidebars offer extra information on what it's like to dive in a shark cage, how to measure a great white, and its different nicknames around the world. Over 50 full-color photographs including a gigantic shark gatefold bring the informative text alive and will thrill budding marine biologists. Includes a detailed glossary, bibliography and index.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-This volume focuses on the work of marine biologists and their attempts to learn more about these creatures. Children will learn about shark anatomy, senses, eating habits, and their relationships with humans. Chapter headings follow the format indicated by the title: "The Truth Is-Great Whites Are Not Cold-Blooded Killers" or "-Great Whites Are Good Mothers." The book also contains unusual information such as how these fish are measured and photographed and why they are not able to survive in an aquarium. The attractive layout blends line drawings, full-color photographs, varied typefaces, and eye-catching graphics. Rotman's pictures are clear and informative. Both the bibliography and list of further reading are short but current, and lists of shark-friendly organizations and activities are also included. This title will be accessible to reluctant readers and is a must for most collections.
Nora Jane Natke, Hooked on Books, Hollywood, FL
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Noting that "no other animal has had so much written about it based on so few facts," Cerullo examines what is known about sharks, using many photos and trendy graphics. Topics covered include physical characteristics, behaviors, feeding habits, the difficulties of studying sharks, and the potential to provide medical benefits for humans. The underwater photos, by Jeffrey L. Rotman, are fascinating, especially the three-page foldout. Cerullo consistently downplays shark attacks (a sidebar suggests man-biters as a more apt description than man-eaters), though she admits that victims often bleed to death, and there are some gruesome photos of attack survivors. Despite the picture-book format, bright colors, and Michael Wertz' fluorescent, childlike line drawings of smiling kids and cute sharks dotting photos and pages, the complex sentences are more appropriate for older readers. A list of conservation groups, a glossary, and a bibliography with three titles for young readers and four for adults are appended. Shelle Rosenfeld

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811824675
• ISBN-13: 978-0811824675
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 9.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #516,228 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Scary book--not for kids, December 26, 2000

By 

Jordan Silvergleid (Washington, D.C., DC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Truth About Great White Sharks (Hardcover)

Well, I bought this book for my sister in order to help her get over her fear of sharks. From some of the reviews, it looked like this book would debunk the myths and illustrate the shark as one of God's innocent creatures.

In fact, she had nightmares the first night, after opening the book and turning directly to a picture of a man with 4,000 stitches. She was equally gripped by the even scarier-than-she-realized facts about the shark's hunting abilities.

I have no doubts that this book is excellently written and truthful, but it is not for kids (or adults) who are still reeling from the legacy of Peter Benchley.