Sharks

Scholastic Discover More

by David Burnie

The only photographic nonfiction series that mixes facts with child-centered humor--and stickers!

A sticker book with a difference! Sharks are the perfect topic for this original, irreverent mix. Circle stranded pirates with great white sharks, create rows and rows of shark teeth, decorate menus at the Shark Cafe, and fill a coral reef with sharks to frighten all the sea creatures! All the facts are here--from different kinds of sharks to their super senses and amazing hunting abilities--but you'll be too busy scaring surfers to notice how much you're learning!

Genres: Childrens

80 pages, Hardcover

First published June 24, 2014

About the author

David Andrew Burnie is an accomplished zoologist who was a nature reserve ranger before becoming a natural history author and editor. A prolific writer of many books, including several on dinosaurs, he has seen many of his titles win educational awards and science prizes. His titles for Kingfisher include Kingfisher Knowledge: Endangered Planet and The Kingfisher Illustrated Dinosaur Encyclopedia, which was nominated for the Aventis Prize for Science Books in 2002.

Reviews

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

This comprehensive title, part of the Scholastic Discover More series, stunningly covers all things shark. The chapters cover sharks and their characteristics, their range on the planet, and their relationships with humans. Introductory pages tell the reader how to use the many features of the book. Each two-page spread has a wealth of information and spectacular close-up photographs. Some spreads include fact boxes or "More Here" lists of books, places and websites to extend the text, while others have charts, statistics, or maps. The book presents a dramatic look at sharks of all kinds and is ideal for browsing. It also covers related topics like marine biology, endangered species, and ocean conservation. An added bonus is a free downloadable digital book, “Shark Trackers”. Back matter includes a glossary and index. Of course, the soft binding is a negative, but sharks continue to be a hot topic at elementary and middle schools, especially with boys.

[Kristine Peska · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hark! a Shark! Author: Bonnie Worth

I chose to pair Hark! A Shark! with the nonfiction book Sharks because they both present similar information but in two different ways. It is important to introduce new material in more than one way because it makes for a more interesting lesson and will give the students a better understanding of the material. Hark! A Shark! relays the information in a fun way using rhyming words and silly pictures that go along with them. Here is an example of the two books presenting similar information but in two different ways:
Sharks: "A shark's skeleton is not made of heavy bone. Instead, it is made of a lighter, elastic material called cartilage."
Hark! A Shark!: "We never find bones because sharks don't have those. Sharks are made up of car-ti-lage, just like your nose!"

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharks will be a hit with elementary students studying the ocean animals. The photographs are awesome and the large print is inviting to young students. The table of contents at the beginning of the book and the index at the end allows students to quickly locate specific information in the book. There is a glossary at the end of the book but it is not aligned with words in boldfaced print within the text. There is also a digital book which can be downloaded using the special code contained in the print book!
Reviewed by Professional Librarians of Northern New Jersey