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Swimming with Sharks: The Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark
Before Eugenie Clark's groundbreaking research, most people thought sharks were vicious, blood-thirsty killers. From the first time she saw a shark in an aquarium, Japanese-American Eugenie was enthralled. Instead of frightening and ferocious eating machines, she saw sleek, graceful fish gliding through the water. After she became a scientist an unexpected career path for a woman in the 1940s she began taking research dives and training sharks, earning her the nickname "The Shark Lady."
32 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2016
761 people want to read
About the author
Heather Lang
9 books41 followersHeather Lang writes picture books that celebrate our natural world and biographies about women who overcame extraordinary obstacles to follow their dreams. Her award-winning books include Supermoms!: Animal Heroes, Swimming with Sharks: The Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark, and The Leaf Detective: How Margaret Lowman Uncovered Secrets in the Rainforest, an NSTA/CBC Best STEM Book and Green Earth Book Award winner. To research her books, Heather has observed animals in the Serengeti, climbed to the treetops of the Amazon, and explored the depths of the ocean. You can read more about Heather’s books and find lots of activities and resources for them at heatherlangbooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
February 28, 2020
The story starts in the 1930s with a little girl who loves the aquarium and wants to know everything about fish. She is fascinated by sharks. No one thinks a girl can be a scientists, but her determination helps her break through that barrier. She studies sharks and begins to be the ‘shark lady’. At this time nothing was known about them. She trained them and swam with them. She was fearless.
One day diving in Mexico she found a a ‘sleeping shark’ still in a cave. Everyone thought they had to move or die. The crazy woman went into this cave with this vicious shark to study. It was moving it’s mouth to breath. She found that ramora fish were cleaning off it’s body, even going in and out of its gills removing parasites. The water in the cave was less salty and easier to remove parasites. She sat there with this vicious killer and studied and took notes. It’s incredible. These caves were cleaning stations. Sharks are more smart than we think.
Jaws ruined the reputation of sharks. I think it’s natural to be afraid of sharks and that movie amped up all our fears. This woman went into the unknown and faced these monsters alone when no one else would. I admire her for that.
She eventually taught at the University of Maryland, so close to me now. She died in 2015 having accomplished and studied so much. She went on 72 submersible dives in her time. Not many people can have a life like this.
There is great info in this short story about sharks. You will learn much in here. I’m so glad I read it.
The nephew was amazed by this. He couldn’t believe this woman got so close. Sharks are like monsters and he thought this was pretty cool. He didn’t want to swim with them, but he thought this woman was brave. He gave this 4 stars.
One day diving in Mexico she found a a ‘sleeping shark’ still in a cave. Everyone thought they had to move or die. The crazy woman went into this cave with this vicious shark to study. It was moving it’s mouth to breath. She found that ramora fish were cleaning off it’s body, even going in and out of its gills removing parasites. The water in the cave was less salty and easier to remove parasites. She sat there with this vicious killer and studied and took notes. It’s incredible. These caves were cleaning stations. Sharks are more smart than we think.
Jaws ruined the reputation of sharks. I think it’s natural to be afraid of sharks and that movie amped up all our fears. This woman went into the unknown and faced these monsters alone when no one else would. I admire her for that.
She eventually taught at the University of Maryland, so close to me now. She died in 2015 having accomplished and studied so much. She went on 72 submersible dives in her time. Not many people can have a life like this.
There is great info in this short story about sharks. You will learn much in here. I’m so glad I read it.
The nephew was amazed by this. He couldn’t believe this woman got so close. Sharks are like monsters and he thought this was pretty cool. He didn’t want to swim with them, but he thought this woman was brave. He gave this 4 stars.
March 27, 2017
To see this review and learn more about Eugenie Clark, please visit www.readrantrockandroll.com
Swimming with Sharks by Heather Lang is a book about Eugenie Clark. The story explains how as a child she was fascinated with the ocean and the creatures beneath. As she grew up, she followed her dreams, and became a scientist.
Many people believe that sharks are bloodthirsty assassins. Eugenie knows something that others don't. Follow along in the story to learn about Eugenie and her love for sharks, and her other ocean discoveries.
Perfect for elementary classrooms, teachers, parents, or for your home library.
5*****
Swimming with Sharks by Heather Lang is a book about Eugenie Clark. The story explains how as a child she was fascinated with the ocean and the creatures beneath. As she grew up, she followed her dreams, and became a scientist.
Many people believe that sharks are bloodthirsty assassins. Eugenie knows something that others don't. Follow along in the story to learn about Eugenie and her love for sharks, and her other ocean discoveries.
Perfect for elementary classrooms, teachers, parents, or for your home library.
5*****
December 29, 2017
Wonderful biography - and I learned a lot about sharks that I didn't know. I guess Jaws was a real set-back, because Clark was learning great stuff well before that. Good pictures (though do have good light, as many are dark like underwater), author's notes. Highly recommended to all, *not* just youngsters.
August 1, 2019
It's Shark Week so I've decided to fill my TBR with a few related books. Then I found that most are actually aimed at children. Weird, huh? No, not really. Get them while they are young and not negatively influenced (too much) yet.
Sharks are incredibly important to our eco system no matter how scary they look. The American ichthyologist Eugenie Clark realized this a long time ago and started trying to change our perception of these wonderful creatures. She was nicknamed The Lady Shark because of that.
Clark was a pioneer in the field of scuba diving for research purposes. In addition to being regarded as an authority in marine biology, Clark was popularly recognized and used her fame to promote marine conservation.
She received a Bachelor of Arts in zoology from Hunter College in 1942. During summers, she studied at the University of Michigan Biological Station and prior to graduate school she worked for Celanese Corporation as a chemist.
Initially, she sought to attend graduate school at Columbia University, but her application was rejected out of fear that she would eventually choose to leave her scientific career in order to focus on raising children. Instead of letting that stop her, Clark went on to earn both a Master of Arts in 1946 and a Doctorate of Philosophy in 1950, both from New York University. During her years of graduate study, Clark carried out research at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory in Massachusetts and at the Lerner Marine Laboratory in Bimini.
In 1949, under an Office of Naval Research program to undertake scientific research in Micronesia, Clark carried out fish population studies in Guam, the Marshall Islands, the Palau islands, the Northern Mariana Islands and the Caroline Islands. After completing her doctoral research, Clark received a Fulbright Scholarship to pursue ichthyological studies at the Marine Biological Station in Hurghada, on the northern Red Sea Coast of Egypt.
The Vanderbilts, a couple and fans of Clark's first book, Lady with a Spear, owned an estate in southwestern Florida and invited the biologist to speak at a public school in Englewood, Florida, in 1954. After Clark delivered her presentation on Red Sea fish, the attendees revealed that they had encountered many similar animals in local waters and were interested in learning more about them. Subsequently, the Vanderbilts built a lab for her in the area in 1955! It was named the Cape Haze Marine Laboratory.
At the laboratory, Clark worked with a local fisherman, who was experienced in catching sharks. Moreover, she also conducted a number of behavioral, reproductive, and anatomical experiments on sharks and other fish. She frequently scuba dived in the local waters, studying various organisms.
In 1962, Clark participated in the Israel South Red Sea Expedition, which set up a camp on one of the Eritrean islands of the Dahlak Archipelago.
In 1966, Clark left Cape Haze for a faculty position at the City University of New York. In 1968, she became an instructor at the University of Maryland. While at the University of Maryland, Clark received many accolades, including three fellowships, five scholarships and six medals. Clark officially retired from the University of Maryland in 1999, but taught one class in the zoology department each semester for several years.
Clark returned to the Cape Haze Laboratory, which had been renamed the Mote Marine Laboratory, in 2000. She worked there as Senior Scientist, Director Emerita and Trustee until her death in Sarasota, Florida, on 25th February 2015 (lung cancer).
In attidion to the above mentioned book, she wrote another, The Lady and the Sharks, and published over 175 scientific articles. Clark was an avid supporter of marine conservation and she mostly focused on dispelling assumptions about shark behavior and intelligence in an effort to prevent the killing of sharks and in order to encourage the preservation of marine environments in general.
I've decided to include all this information about her for two reasons:
1) Consider the dates I've indicated above and then remember that we're talking about a WOMAN pioneering in this field.
2) We're talking about a very accomplished human being that should be a more widely-known role model for many children and adults.
The book, unsurprisingly, tells a simplified version of Eugenie Clark's life. It has many really cute illustrations, the colours reflect underwater life mostly. I was actually surprised that most of the book was therefore a little dark perhaps, but I liked it overall (especially that people's eyes were just like a shark's). The importance lies in making children curious and in teaching them about sharks as much as about the woman whom we have to thank for so many things we know today.
Sharks are incredibly important to our eco system no matter how scary they look. The American ichthyologist Eugenie Clark realized this a long time ago and started trying to change our perception of these wonderful creatures. She was nicknamed The Lady Shark because of that.
Clark was a pioneer in the field of scuba diving for research purposes. In addition to being regarded as an authority in marine biology, Clark was popularly recognized and used her fame to promote marine conservation.
She received a Bachelor of Arts in zoology from Hunter College in 1942. During summers, she studied at the University of Michigan Biological Station and prior to graduate school she worked for Celanese Corporation as a chemist.
Initially, she sought to attend graduate school at Columbia University, but her application was rejected out of fear that she would eventually choose to leave her scientific career in order to focus on raising children. Instead of letting that stop her, Clark went on to earn both a Master of Arts in 1946 and a Doctorate of Philosophy in 1950, both from New York University. During her years of graduate study, Clark carried out research at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory in Massachusetts and at the Lerner Marine Laboratory in Bimini.
In 1949, under an Office of Naval Research program to undertake scientific research in Micronesia, Clark carried out fish population studies in Guam, the Marshall Islands, the Palau islands, the Northern Mariana Islands and the Caroline Islands. After completing her doctoral research, Clark received a Fulbright Scholarship to pursue ichthyological studies at the Marine Biological Station in Hurghada, on the northern Red Sea Coast of Egypt.
The Vanderbilts, a couple and fans of Clark's first book, Lady with a Spear, owned an estate in southwestern Florida and invited the biologist to speak at a public school in Englewood, Florida, in 1954. After Clark delivered her presentation on Red Sea fish, the attendees revealed that they had encountered many similar animals in local waters and were interested in learning more about them. Subsequently, the Vanderbilts built a lab for her in the area in 1955! It was named the Cape Haze Marine Laboratory.
At the laboratory, Clark worked with a local fisherman, who was experienced in catching sharks. Moreover, she also conducted a number of behavioral, reproductive, and anatomical experiments on sharks and other fish. She frequently scuba dived in the local waters, studying various organisms.
In 1962, Clark participated in the Israel South Red Sea Expedition, which set up a camp on one of the Eritrean islands of the Dahlak Archipelago.
In 1966, Clark left Cape Haze for a faculty position at the City University of New York. In 1968, she became an instructor at the University of Maryland. While at the University of Maryland, Clark received many accolades, including three fellowships, five scholarships and six medals. Clark officially retired from the University of Maryland in 1999, but taught one class in the zoology department each semester for several years.
Clark returned to the Cape Haze Laboratory, which had been renamed the Mote Marine Laboratory, in 2000. She worked there as Senior Scientist, Director Emerita and Trustee until her death in Sarasota, Florida, on 25th February 2015 (lung cancer).
In attidion to the above mentioned book, she wrote another, The Lady and the Sharks, and published over 175 scientific articles. Clark was an avid supporter of marine conservation and she mostly focused on dispelling assumptions about shark behavior and intelligence in an effort to prevent the killing of sharks and in order to encourage the preservation of marine environments in general.
I've decided to include all this information about her for two reasons:
1) Consider the dates I've indicated above and then remember that we're talking about a WOMAN pioneering in this field.
2) We're talking about a very accomplished human being that should be a more widely-known role model for many children and adults.
The book, unsurprisingly, tells a simplified version of Eugenie Clark's life. It has many really cute illustrations, the colours reflect underwater life mostly. I was actually surprised that most of the book was therefore a little dark perhaps, but I liked it overall (especially that people's eyes were just like a shark's). The importance lies in making children curious and in teaching them about sharks as much as about the woman whom we have to thank for so many things we know today.
November 20, 2017
I liked this quite a bit, illustrations were nice and Eugenie Clark is just a fun person to read about. When I was a kid I just loved Shark Lady by Ann McGovern(?). Read my copy until it fell apart and distinctly remember a part about boiling dead animals to get the skeletons clean.. lol I will have to find another copy and read and compare. I would say that the illustrations in this one are definitely more fun and this book is more accessible for younger children. My daughter is 6 and this book was just about perfect for her.
January 20, 2018
Eugenie Clark was a Japanese American scientist who had a fascinating career. She was known as the "Shark Lady". I vaguely recall hearing about the Cape Haze Marine Laboratory that she opened in Florida in 1955, but I am ashamed to say that her name or gender did not stick and I never highlighted her career during the years I taught explorers as a 4th Grade teacher.
This short picture book highlights her fascination with sharks from a young age and how her curiosity and courage - swimming into shark caves! - drove her long, successful life as a researcher.
This short picture book highlights her fascination with sharks from a young age and how her curiosity and courage - swimming into shark caves! - drove her long, successful life as a researcher.
December 19, 2017
I just read less than an hour ago a book about Eugenie Clark "Shark Lady by Jess Keating". And I liked them both.
This one had more detail, and information and have good pictures. This is for older elementary school. The Shark Lady is more for the younger grades, but together, I have learned about Eugenie Clark. Both worth while books. I rated the other one (Shark Lady) a little higher because I think the cover is more attractive and the pictures are more my taste. BOTH WORTH READING!
* this book is not at the local library it had to be borrowed from another library*
This one had more detail, and information and have good pictures. This is for older elementary school. The Shark Lady is more for the younger grades, but together, I have learned about Eugenie Clark. Both worth while books. I rated the other one (Shark Lady) a little higher because I think the cover is more attractive and the pictures are more my taste. BOTH WORTH READING!
* this book is not at the local library it had to be borrowed from another library*
April 8, 2017
Compelling true story of a childhood fascination with sharks that evolved into a groundbreaking career. Dr. Clark's research led to deeper understanding of these often misunderstood animals. Heather Lang does a wonderful job conveying information about sharks–their surprising diversity and habits, importance to the food chain–and dispels myths about them. The reader learns about sharks and Dr. Clark's passion to their study–all conveyed in an entertaining, accessible style.
March 23, 2017
The murky illustrations in Swimming with Sharks effectively convey the underwater world of sharks, a domain that Eugenie Clark made her life’s work. Beginning with Clark’s childhood shark fascination, this picture book biography emphasizes important lessons about turning a passion into a profession, and underscores how academic and occupational expectations for girls and women have changed since the 1930s.
February 21, 2017
A really nice and informational book about Dr. Eugenie Clark, aka "The Shark Lady". This has some good info about her life and her studies, and a lot of great info about sharks as well!! I love Eugenie Clark and sharks, and this book is perfect for kids interested in these awesome creatures!
April 30, 2018
Amazing!! I had never heard of Eugenie Clark before, but I'm so glad I did! What an amazing, brave, human! I hope that her research and compassion continues on and saves these amazing creatures. Read for Info Books for Youth for grad school.
September 13, 2018
Eugenie Clark is one of my favorite historical people and this book is an excellent resource to teach kids about her life, her discoveries, and to illustrate her importance to our understanding of the greatest creatures on this planet - sharks.
August 28, 2021
Unbeknownst to me, when I picked up the Shark Lady from the library, we had already checked out the Swimming with Sharks. We decided to read them back to back and compare the two books, which ended up being very close in content. My son preferred Swimming with Sharks for its more realistic art and deeper story than for the stylized art in Shark Lady and its simplistic texts with extra facts at the conclusion.
Swimming with Sharks: The Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark, by Heather Lang, illustrated by Jordi Solano, 32 pages.
Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist, by Jess Keating, illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens, 40 pages.
These books tell a fascinating true story of Eugenie Clark, a Japanese American female scientist who had to overcome many prejudices, becoming an important oceanographer and zoologist. One of her specialties was the study of sharks, dispelling myths and fear, teaching society about the shark's important place in ecology.
Swimming with Sharks: The Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark, by Heather Lang, illustrated by Jordi Solano, 32 pages.
Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist, by Jess Keating, illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens, 40 pages.
These books tell a fascinating true story of Eugenie Clark, a Japanese American female scientist who had to overcome many prejudices, becoming an important oceanographer and zoologist. One of her specialties was the study of sharks, dispelling myths and fear, teaching society about the shark's important place in ecology.
December 23, 2020
"The female shark discovered if she let the male press the target, she could gobble up the food before he got there."
Author's Note discusses discrimination due to her gender and Japanese heritage.
Afterword? More about Sharks describes the importance of sharks to the earth's ecosystem.
Wonderful, biography of an important environmentalist and oceanographer, that was still active at the age of 92.
Author's Note discusses discrimination due to her gender and Japanese heritage.
Afterword? More about Sharks describes the importance of sharks to the earth's ecosystem.
Wonderful, biography of an important environmentalist and oceanographer, that was still active at the age of 92.
November 14, 2017
This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!
Hello, everyone! Today’s book is Swimming With Sharks: The Daring Discoveries Of Eugenie Clark, written by Heather Lang and illustrated by Jordi Solano, a beautiful and inspiring illustrated biography of pioneer ichthyologist and marine biologist Eugenie Clark.
Young Genie had no greater fascination than sharks. As a child in the 1920’s and 30’s, she spent every moment she could at the aquarium, or in front of her aquariums at home, studying fish, especially the graceful, powerful sharks. Despite there being almost no female ichthyologists at the time, and NONE who studied sharks, Genie would not be deterred. She went to school, studied hard, and braved the ocean to follow her passion. She became one of the world’s foremost researchers in sharks, their biology, and their behavior. She helped to inform people’s opinions on sharks, reshaping their reputation from mindless killing machines to often timid, and sometimes gentle, creatures. And no matter how much she learned, she continued to press her face to the glass, staring at the animals of the deep on the other side, and wonder…
This was a fantastic biography of a groundbreaking female scientist, who defied both convention and popular opinion to become a respected authority on sharks. The story is as much a love letter to these incredible and deeply misunderstood animals as much as it is to Eugenie, which is great for little ones who want to learn more about sharks as well. The art is gorgeous, and capture both the animals and Clark’s love of them well. It’s a bit long for baby bookworms, but older kids would love this one: a powerful and beautiful story of scientific curiosity. Baby Bookworm approved!
Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!
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July 29, 2018The illustrations are darker than those of
Shark Lady
-- which I understand as a valid depiction of underwater scenes, but which I wasn't super into. It's for older kids than Shark Lady, so it goes into more detail, and I was really into some of the story, but I found the illustrations hard to get into.
I did like the conceit of notepapers in the corners of the pages with the different things Genie learned.
Excellent anecdote: "Genie taught a pair of lemon sharks to press a white board connected to an underwater bell, then swim to another spot to catch their reward. The female shark discovered if she let the male press the target, she could gobble up the food before he got there." :D
(This is nodded at in Shark Lady, where we read in broad strokes about Eugenie training sharks and the illustration is of one shark getting a fish from Eugenie on one page and a shark on the opposite page, apparently in the same pool, pressing a button.)
Both books include mention of some of the sexism she experienced, and the Author's Note to this one mentions, "Genie experienced discrimination both as a woman and a Japanese American. Columbia turned her down for graduate school because she was a woman. Instead she got a job in a chemistry lab and took night classes at New York University. Later Genie was denied the opportunity to attend overnight research trips because she was a woman. Once, the government hired her to do research in the Philippines but wouldn't clear her passport because of her Japanese heritage."
(It does not explain its choice to refer to her as "Genie" -- which seems to have been a name she went by, but since she's mostly referred to as "Eugenie" if you Google her, I would have appreciated a note.)
This book actually has less backmatter than Shark Lady does.
I did like the conceit of notepapers in the corners of the pages with the different things Genie learned.
Excellent anecdote: "Genie taught a pair of lemon sharks to press a white board connected to an underwater bell, then swim to another spot to catch their reward. The female shark discovered if she let the male press the target, she could gobble up the food before he got there." :D
(This is nodded at in Shark Lady, where we read in broad strokes about Eugenie training sharks and the illustration is of one shark getting a fish from Eugenie on one page and a shark on the opposite page, apparently in the same pool, pressing a button.)
Both books include mention of some of the sexism she experienced, and the Author's Note to this one mentions, "Genie experienced discrimination both as a woman and a Japanese American. Columbia turned her down for graduate school because she was a woman. Instead she got a job in a chemistry lab and took night classes at New York University. Later Genie was denied the opportunity to attend overnight research trips because she was a woman. Once, the government hired her to do research in the Philippines but wouldn't clear her passport because of her Japanese heritage."
(It does not explain its choice to refer to her as "Genie" -- which seems to have been a name she went by, but since she's mostly referred to as "Eugenie" if you Google her, I would have appreciated a note.)
This book actually has less backmatter than Shark Lady does.
June 18, 2017
First off, girl power! Girls can and have done anything they put their minds to! This picture book narrates the amazing story of Eugenie (Genie) Clark and her passion for understanding marine life, especially sharks. What I love most about the way Heather Lang tells the story is this: there's an emphasis on what Genie did when she was just a kid, a kid with a passion for sharks, and how it continued to be part of her work as an adult. I don't frequently see the children I serve, that are passionate about something, go out and do whatever they can now, and Genie is a fine example of doing what you can with what you have, even if your "just" a kid! Young Genie had managed to have fish and reptiles in various tanks in her family's apartment and what she did was this "She observed. She sketched. She took detailed notes." The author continues to expose the reader to Genie's next steps in going after her passion even when it meant facing discrimination because of her gender and heritage. As Genie continues to explore and discover new knowledge about sharks and marine life, the author and illustrator often remind us that what Genie did as a child, continued to serve her as a scientist and leader in her field, "She observed. She sketched. She took detailed notes."
February 9, 2017
SWIMMING WITH SHARKS written by Heather Lang and illustrated by Jordi Solano is a delight to look at, to learn from, and to read aloud. Little Genie’s passion for studying sharks lasted into adulthood when she became known as the Shark Lady. In this book Lang shows the wonder and determination that young Genie had for these fascinating fish. Written with both deep understanding and deep affection for Eugenie Clark, Lang shows her research expertise as well as her talent for storytelling. The author includes details that will capture readers’ interest whether they aspire to be authors or to be marine biologists. The pictures are palette perfect. Readers will feel immersed in Solano’s rendering of underwater worlds. He renders Genie’s audience at the New York Aquarium with lovely light from the tank. The little scientist-in-the-making stands with open arms symbolic of her open mind towards these misunderstood creatures. Lang and Solano’s book deserves a special spot in local libraries, indie bookstores, and aquarium gift shops.
June 29, 2018
- A Brave and Inquisitive Lady -
Eugenie Clark was well ahead of her time by desiring to enter a profession that was basically not for women.
At an early age, she was mesmerized by sharks and loved to learn about them. Though her dream was to become a scientist and explore the ocean, she was encouraged to choose a profession that would be a bit more appropriate and attainable. However, her heart was set on college where she would be able to gain the credentials she needed to research sharks.
The book highlights Eugenie's accomplishments. One of her biggest accomplishments might be considered by some to be that she proved sharks are intelligent and misunderstood.
What Concerned Me: I realize a picture book has word limitations, but I wish there would have been a short timeline at the back of the book listing more of her accomplishments.
What I Liked Most: The added author note and information about sharks at the back might encourage readers to learn more about Eugenie Clark. I especially liked the photos of Dr. Clark on the last page.
Eugenie Clark was well ahead of her time by desiring to enter a profession that was basically not for women.
At an early age, she was mesmerized by sharks and loved to learn about them. Though her dream was to become a scientist and explore the ocean, she was encouraged to choose a profession that would be a bit more appropriate and attainable. However, her heart was set on college where she would be able to gain the credentials she needed to research sharks.
The book highlights Eugenie's accomplishments. One of her biggest accomplishments might be considered by some to be that she proved sharks are intelligent and misunderstood.
What Concerned Me: I realize a picture book has word limitations, but I wish there would have been a short timeline at the back of the book listing more of her accomplishments.
What I Liked Most: The added author note and information about sharks at the back might encourage readers to learn more about Eugenie Clark. I especially liked the photos of Dr. Clark on the last page.
May 4, 2017
One of my favorite things about being a parent is watching your child's mind grow and change and discover new amazing things. And when I discover new things or information along side her it makes me feel like a kid again. I never want to stop learning and discovering.
This book is about Eugenie Clark, the "Shark Lady". Growing up in the 1930s Genie loved learning about fish, but there wasn't much information about sharks. Not many dared to study the depths of the sea and none of them were women. Most people didn't think women could be scientists and explorers. Genie didn't want to be anyone's secretary, she got out there made the ocean her classroom. She became the first person to study sharks in their natural habitat and showed that they were remarkable, intelligent creatures. #womenshistorymonth #kidsbooksworthreading #kidsbooks #kidsbook #childrensliterature #kidlit #kidsbookstagram #eugenieclark #sharklady #swimmingwithsharks #heatherlang #jordisolano #albertwhitman
This book is about Eugenie Clark, the "Shark Lady". Growing up in the 1930s Genie loved learning about fish, but there wasn't much information about sharks. Not many dared to study the depths of the sea and none of them were women. Most people didn't think women could be scientists and explorers. Genie didn't want to be anyone's secretary, she got out there made the ocean her classroom. She became the first person to study sharks in their natural habitat and showed that they were remarkable, intelligent creatures. #womenshistorymonth #kidsbooksworthreading #kidsbooks #kidsbook #childrensliterature #kidlit #kidsbookstagram #eugenieclark #sharklady #swimmingwithsharks #heatherlang #jordisolano #albertwhitman
November 22, 2017
I love Eugenie Clark. She was an amazing woman, scientist and discoverer. This book has beautiful illustrations and talks about Eugenie's life, her discoveries, and how she became the shark expert and the best in the field despite being a woman. She was not accepted at certain schools, people kept telling her "no, you can't do that", but she ignored everyone and accomplished what she wanted to do despite all odds. She followed her heart and her dream and never gave up. She's an amazing inspiration and I would recommend this book and Eugenie's books as well (she has a couple she wrote herself, but they are more for adults).
December 8, 2016
This was a great introduction to Eugenie Clark and her incredible work with sharks. I loved reading the Author's note at the back and learning that Heather Lang met Eugenie Clark while working on this book. How amazing that Eugenie was still diving into her 90's! I also loved that this biography perfectly captured how a fascination with something can turn into a life-long career and passion. I never knew sharks could be trained and had never heard about "sleeping" sharks before either. Wonderful!
March 3, 2017
Wow! This is an excellent easy biography. A year or so ago I read a different biography about Eugenie Clark, one meant for older elementary school kids. This one has less personal information about her, but does a good job illustrating her never-ending curiosity and wonder about the ocean. The illustrations in this book are wonderful! The sharks are so detailed and realistic, and Jordi Solano perfectly captured the look and feel of swimming in the murky waters. A truly lovely book about a supremely interesting woman.
August 14, 2017
Excellent biography, both in illustrations and story, of Eugenia Clark, a foremost shark scholar. It focuses on her achievements and wonder at the world of sharks. It briefly touches on the challenges she faced as a woman, and while the story doesn't say that she is a Japanese American, it is depicted in the illustrations. The additional information at the end of the story goes into more detail about both challenges she faced.
Truly a fascinating story and one of the best children's biographies I've read.
Truly a fascinating story and one of the best children's biographies I've read.
March 8, 2018
This is another great picture book biography of Eugenie Clark. It's slightly more in-depth and goes into more detail than Jess Keating's excellent Shark Lady, which also came out this year. I also appreciated the in-depth author's note at the back, which goes into a little more detail about Clark's Japanese-American heritage and her experiences. Both are great biographies. I would say that this one is better suited to slightly older audiences -- kindergarten and lower elementary -- whereas Keating's is a better fit for preschoolers.
May 30, 2018
A truly remarkable person deserves more than just one great book about them and Eugenie Clark was certainly an incredible person. This book is a different version of her story that is fun to compare to what you learn in the first. The message is the same, even if illustrated and told differently. Eugenie Clark was a brave, bold, curious person who furthered knowledge of sharks and women in science forever.
May 8, 2017
An inspiring true story about Dr. Eugenie Clark aka the "shark lady", who despite discrimination, became one of the most inspiring scientists in the world and whose revolutionary thinking and research changed the way society viewed marine wildlife. Overall a fantastic read and ideal for marine biology projects and homework. Great for children aged 5 to 8.
July 12, 2017
Awwww. I've read several "Shark Lady" books aimed at children over the years, and I'm pleased this latest one is an excellent addition to that list. In gorgeous pictures, Clark's discoveries are seen as not just triumphs of women in science, but as a lifetime's worth of dedication to these creatures. This truly gives a beautiful gloss to life lived with purpose.
August 24, 2018
I very much love when I can find biographical children's picture books. I like reading the simple stories to learn the true highlights of all these magnificent people out in the world doing great things. I would recommend this book for anyone looking to read to a preschool aged or older child or group. This would go great with an ocean unit as well as a career unit.
February 4, 2019
Such an amazing biography about a woman scientist who changed peoples opinions about sharks. I love all of the illustrations and text in this story. The text describes the scientific method very well so students can understand as well as doing a marvelous job at empowering young women to become scientists. This story would be better for upper elementary.
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