Sharks!

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4-- In a general overview of shark behavior and physical characteristics , Behrens emphasizes the killer image of this fascinating fish. Short, choppy sentences denigrate the animal, e.g., ``Sharks are movers and eaters.'' What animal isn't? As further proof of the animal's ruthlessness, she states that after the shark babies are born, the mother ``swims away and leaves them to care for themselves.'' This is common behavior among fish and many other creatures. In the fifth chapter, she finally states that ``of the 350 species of sharks, only about 25 or 30 are dangerous to human beings.'' But this comes after the section on their wild, uncontrolled feeding frenzies and before the chapters on dangerous beaches around the world. In addition, the book is not carefully constructed. Although color photos illustrate every page, some are blurry and out of focus. Others are difficult to decipher, and the title of one section appears in the middle of a page of text. In a field full of entries, this is not a necessary purchase. --Frances E. Millhouser, Reston Regional Lib, VA