Sharks

K-Gr 2—This loosely organized smattering of information on sharks covers 22 different species. Readers can lift the intriguing, transparent overlays interspersed among the thick, cardboard pages to get a sense of movement or see a different angle on a scene. The book touches on anatomy, diet, size, and reproduction, as well as sharks' prehistoric ancestors and related sea creatures. The illustrations are its strong point, emphasizing the variety and distinctness of these sharks, while the text provides only the barest of revelations. The weakness of the narrative might be due to translation issues (the book was published in French originally and translated for the UK). For instance, the book states that "the megamouth shark adores shrimps," a seemingly odd word choice. The art alone will attract browsers, but the spiral binding might not hold up to frequent use.—Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA