Chomp

March 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 2-From gentle giants to fierce hunters, sharks vary in size, color, appetite, and habitat, making the underwater dwellers distinct in each depiction. As readers swim alongside each shark illustrated, they will learn that many sharks have unique personalities and habits, making it safer to see them from afar in an aquarium than in the wild. The text within the nonfiction narrative is uncomplicated, leaving room for children to absorb the labeled illustrations that are simultaneously simple and realistic. Although Paul implies we should not swim with sharks, kids can visit many of them at aquariums. Paul also offers a picture glossary in both the front and back of the book. Fans of his Roar: A Dinosaur Tour and the "Baby Shark" song will enjoy learning about the sharks that live under the ocean's surface. VERDICT A strong choice for early elementary nonfiction shelves and a vibrant exploration of different types of sharks.-Hilary Tufo, Columbus Metropolitan Library-Reynoldsburg

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February 15, 2019
A gallery of shark shapes and sizes, attitudes and appetites.Bright (and forgivably inaccurate) colors saturate otherwise-simple spreads that catalog some of the many species of sharks that live in our planet's oceans. Lilting text introduces different sharks in opposing and oversimplified terms: "Some sharks are bottom dwellers... / but other sharks are surface breakers" (referencing the goblin shark and the great white, respectively). Very general differences in ferocity (whale shark and bull shark), pickiness (basking shark and tiger shark), social habits (lemon shark and cookiecutter shark), and climate preferences (Greenland shark and hammerhead shark) frame each new pair of sharks, with each presented on its own spread--visually striking but counterproductive to the text's attempt at continuity. More-specific facts and explanations are omitted, hopefully prompting curiosity that will send readers to their libraries or, if they're lucky, their local aquarium, where Paul somewhat flimsily reminds them sharks can be visited up close. Unfortunately, and despite colorful and inviting illustrations, these same omissions also make this a book unlikely to be called on more than once or twice. Those with "Baby Shark" fans to satisfy should try pairing this with Shawn Loves Sharks, by Curtis Manley and illustrated by Tracy Subisak (2017), or Misunderstood Shark, by Amy Dyckman and illustrated by Scott Magoon (2018), to up both the entertainment and information values.Less a romp than a stroll--enjoyable but a little sedate. (Informational picture book. 4-7)

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