Chasing Sharks (Sharks Series)

Children's Literature

This six-book series divides shark information traditionally (babies, kinds, sizes, camouflage) and not-so-traditionally (killer people, chasing sharks). Color photographs face text, and the clear headings, informational captions and endmatter all assist the reader to learn more. Endmatter includes some well-chosen books, places to contact, web sites, a glossary and an index. In this volume, the authors discuss those who pursue sharks for sport, information or food. Clearly, the authors are in favor of preserving sharks, and photos show a shark minus its fins helpless on the ocean floor and a refuse truck driving over shark carcasses tossed aside after a fishing tournament. Hunting for food and sport is contrasted with marine biologists "hunting" sharks for information, and this text explains some shark behavior, such as a feeding frenzy and whether sharks must keep moving or die (no). The end questions, asking whether it is all right to kill sharks for food, medicine, clothing and tools, or if studying them alive is better, are sure to provoke discussion. The theme of human predators and their danger to sharks is more strongly pictured and realized in this volume than in several others. While Mary Cerullo's single species shark book, The Truth about Great White Sharks and Laurence Pringle's Sharks! Strange and Wonderful! do a better job of developing a sense of wonder and providing details of anatomy, this series provides other interesting facts in short, easy-to-access format. This volume functions best as a part of the series. Part of the "An Imagination Library" series. 2001, Gareth Stevens, $19.93. Ages 7 to 10. Reviewer: Susan Hepler

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4-Each of these slim volumes has a page of text facing a full-color photograph. Baby Sharks provides a clear explanation of the three different kinds of embryo development found among sharks and describes how the young survive on their own from the time of birth. Chasing Sharks and Killer Sharks, Killer People attempt to dispel the unwarranted fears people hold about potential attacks. They also introduce various products made from parts of sharks. What is mystifying is why these two books weren't combined into a single, more substantial volume. Shark Camouflage and Armor explores the topics identified in its title. The remaining two books offer brief introductions to various sharks and their relatives, information that can be found in many beginning books on the subject. There is a great deal of overlap among all of these titles. Most of the Web addresses are current, although locating the information relevant to sharks is not always straightforward. Libraries with other basic books about sharks may want to assess the need for additional resources on the subject. Most of the topics covered here can be found in Brett Westwood's Great White Shark (RSVP, 2000) and Susan Brocker's Sharks (Forest House, 1998).-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.