Chomp! the Truth About Sharks

September 15, 2024
Grades 3-6 With the front cover boasting a shark coming, open-mouthed, for the reader, this photo-filled offering will lure in curious kids. The "truth" promised in the title is revealed through the book's Q&A format, which covers topics such as "Are Sharks Fish?," "What Do Shark Teeth Tell Us?," "Do Sharks Sleep?," and, most important, "Will a Shark Bite Me?" The answers are provided in straightforward, fact-filled paragraphs that are accompanied by short fact boxes, with the text often dwarfed by a large, clear shark photo (or a few!). Humorous "Shark Bite" factoids also appear on every spread within a playful cartoon illustration. There is tons to learn here, from facts about the many different kinds of shark teeth to details of the creatures' diets and life cycles and where in the ocean they can be found. A closing experiment using a plastic bag to mimic how sharks and people float differently will be interesting to young readers. Unfortunately, no source notes or bibliography are included, but the book's lively presentation will draw browsers like chum.

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September 15, 2024
What would you like to know about sharks? This title follows the format of Whipple's previous books about cats, frogs, dogs, and more, using common questions and striking photographs to entertain and inform young readers. The information on each spread is organized by a series of queries such as "Are sharks fish?" and "Can sharks smell blood"? Short paragraphs provide the answers. Most spreads also include a "shark bite" of gentle humor, often a pun. What will most engage readers are the images: sharks of all kinds, close up and labeled by species. Teeth are often a feature, and two spreads are devoted to their number, shape, and variety. Readers will learn about diet and sleep habits, shark anatomy and habitats, and eggs, live births, and babies; they'll also learn the answer to the question, "Will a shark bite me?" (Answer, unlikely: The chance is 1 in 11 million.) With so many species and so much variation, the answers tend to be general, but most answers have enough information to satisfy curious readers. Surprisingly, the very first spread never reveals whose teeth, fins, or snouts are in the pictures; the answers can't be found by studying the photos throughout the book. A concluding spread highlights 13 unusual species. The exposition is followed up by a "fact or fiction" page and an experiment on buoyancy; the book concludes with a short glossary and suggestions for web research, but no sources are listed. Sink your teeth into this one!(Informational picture book. 6-10)

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October 4, 2024

Gr 3-5-With the right mix of full-color photos and fast, snappy facts, this book on sharks will appeal to all. Two pages are focused on one topic, e.g., "Do Sharks Lay Eggs?" The photos, large and small, call attention to specific details that are splashed across the pages. Most of the text is on a white background, with some color backgrounds surrounded by or incorporated into the photos; "But not all sharks lay eggs" is next to a photo of a cat shark hatching and a lemon shark pup shown below it. Each facing page contains a color drawing of shark(s) with cartoon features, and a play on words or another fact called out. Basic questions are covered; the writing is succinct and packed with easily digestible information on the anatomy, habits, and lives of sharks. A fact or fiction quiz, simple science project, glossary, and note on the author end the book. VERDICT A delightful first buy, full of fun and interesting facts and photos that will appeal to shark fanatics and the merely curious.-Tamara Saarinen

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