1,000 Facts About Sharks by Sarah Wassner Flynn. National Geographic Kids, 2024. 9781426371745
Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4
Format: Oversized hardcover
What did you like about the book? A megabook about megafish. As with the other books in the 1,000 Facts series, this compendium will appeal to both “experts” and novices. Using puns and accessible organization, the author heads each two page spread with an intriguing number and then supplies many facts (really, tidbits), accompanied by photographs. “15 Whooping Facts About the Whale Shark” opens this section, with the page dominated by a large photo of the spotted fish surrounded by colorful and numbered call-outs informing readers that the animal’s mouth can open the width of a car, that they can only swim at an average pace of 3 miles per hour, and that they live to be about 70. Some sections focus on specific species, others on common shark traits, or shark-inspired science and tech. Phillip Lobel, professor of biology and an ichthyologist provides an introductory forward while back matter includes a glossary, anatomical diagrams, charts on kinds of sharks and shark evolution, and an index.
Anything you didn’t like about it? No. I’m no shark expert (and neither is Ms. Flynn) but she has written a lot of children’s nonfiction and the Nat Geo imprint confers some authority here.
To whom would you recommend this book? Prepare for this to be a very popular item. It’s not meant to be read all in one sitting or from beginning to end, so would perfectly suit reluctant readers grades 3-8 who gravitate to the Guinness World Records series. Even if younger children can’t decode all the text, they will enjoy looking at the photographs and counting the factoids.
Who should buy this book? Elementary school and public libraries
Where would you shelve it? 597.3
Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? No
Reviewer: Susan Harari, Keefe Library, Boston Latin School, Boston, MA
Date of review: June 23, 2024
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