"Shark baby opens, the title character is still in his egg case (also called a mermaid's purse), yet is curious about himself and the world around him. Rough waters jar the case loose from its kelp strand and when it tears slightly, Shark Baby is able to peek out and talk to the other marine creatures. On the ocean floor, he meets a horn shark, a pajama shark, and then an octopus that suggests that he find the mermaid. The mermaid (really a manatee) sends him back to the kelp forest where he learns that he is a swell shark. The large, full-spread illustrations are appealing and support the gentle nature of the story. The book concludes with additional facts about sharks and their egg cases and a 'True or False' quiz. No sources are listed. A short, sweet story about discovering one's identity and finding one's place in the world."
Highly Recommended: Throughout his journey across the ocean, uncertainty haunts Shark Baby as he is tossed about while still in his egg case. He is able to peek out of the case and visit with a variety of ocean creatures before emerging to encounter a sea lion that is trying to eat him. Shark Baby is a swell shark, and he puffs up and scares the sea lion away. Discovering his true identity allows Shark Baby to become secure in his surroundings. A resource-packed activity guide motivates students and teachers to learn more. Colorful illustrations provide enough detail to allow readers to visually discover characteristics of a variety of sea life. In addition to the extensive information provided in the book, there are free teacher resources online. This title even has its own Facebook page, which could be the stepping stone to a wide range of additional activities.
- Kelly M. Hoppe, Librarian, Palo Duro High School, Amarillo, Texas
"Highlights a side to sharks not often found in picture books..."
Though the story is famicful, it's backed up with four pages of shark information, fun facts and a comparison of different kinds of shark egg cases.
"This is a delightfully fun book of how Shark Baby finds out just who he is. The flow of the story is perfect as the reader follows Shark Baby as he discovers his world and the other creatures in it. The artwork is beautiful with full-page, full-color illustrations that introduce us to many different type of sharks. Of course children will also be able to look around the ocean floor as they identify Baby Shark's neighbors. Newly independent readers can tackle this 4
There are several species of shark I've heard of but Shark Baby introduced me to some that I'm not sure I knew about. I even learned about the different kinds of shark egg cases. Being an adult, this book was interesting and educational to me. For kids, they can learn why manatees are called mermaids and about species of shark that you don't normally hear about. After the story is a "For Creative Minds' section in the back of the book to further enhance learning. There's activities and facts on sharks and egg cases.
I read this book to my second graders and we all enjoyed it. Children LOVE non-fiction and they have a real interest in sharks and sea life, maybe because we live in Southern California. The illustrations are colorful and eye-catching. This book kind of reminded me of Stella Luna, where Stella Luna the bat thought she was a bird and nothing made sense to her. In this book, the shark questions what kind of shark she/he is. We learn about several types of sharks in the process. The books by Sylvan Dell are loaded with educational aides which make them worth so much more than just non-fiction books. I will be using some of these aides to help prepare my students for CST testing in May. The children loved learning about sharks! Great read, great illustrations, great helps!
This is best for ages 4-8 but really is great to read with younger and slightly older children too. My favorite part is the For Creative Minds which can be found at the end of all Arbordale books.
Shark Baby's shell casing is pulled loose from its mooring, sending him on a journey of discovery. What kind of shark is he? As he talks with the sharks he meets along the way, he (and the reader) finds out about several different kinds of sharks, and what types of eggs they lay.
Full-color, realistic pictures and a whimsical tone draw you gently through the story. Though the topic is sharks, the story is not frightening for young ones. There is mention of a mermaid, which turns out to be a manatee.
"Colorfully illustrated with personable sea creatures little shark makes his journey along. The colors are indicative of the sea and the brush strokes depict agitated or flowing currents in the sea. In the back of the book the educational helps include some math, some biological information/questions about sharks, and identifying different sharks."