The Genius Kid’s Guide to Sharks

by Ethan Pembroke

Outdoors/Nature & Science .

196 pages, Hardcover

First published October 4, 2022

Reviews

[Laurie]

The Genius Kids Guide to Sharks by Ethan Pembroke will delight shark fans. Whether a person scans through the book or reads about all of their favorite sharks there is plenty to be had. Pembroke picks a format and does not vary in presentation. This is great for those who are looking for specific information. 12 sharks are given an in-depth examination with a section on shark facts, what they look for, where they live, food, senses, babies, and attack & defense. The reader can pick and choose what facts or sharks they want to read about. The images are excellent in quality and all had labels or captions. Pictures are not confined to images of sharks alone. They extend to habitat and other species that the shark may encounter or shares similarities, such as, an anglerfish in the case of the lantern shark. Maps are provided that clearly identify regions the shark species can be located.

Younger readers can browse pictures or select specific topics and learn quite a bit. For those that are reading traditionally, the reading level is higher so this book would be best suited for upper elementary and older readers. As an adult Pembroke had plenty to teach me. For example, I didn't realize sharks actually have an additional sense that helps make them strong predators in the ocean environment. The author does a good job explaining complicated information like this additional sense: "Sharks have small pores on their bodies called ampullae of Lorenzini. These pores sense electrical fields in the water. All living creatures produce an electrical charge. Sharks use the ampullae of Lorenzini to locate their prey" (12). I would have liked a comparison here to something I could better relate this to, but was satisfied with the explanation for mature readers. Another strength Pembroke provides is sharing where gaps in shark knowledge are currently for specific species. The end of the book features 14 sharks that each receive a one page spread giving basic information like a collectible trading card might have. There is an additional reading suggestion and a QR code linked to Abdo's online site that is updated to keep information up to date. I would add this to collection where a general shark book is not currently available. The images make this book worth having and will be a new book on my shelves replacing older texts.

Thank you Netgalley, Abdo Books, and the imprint North Star Kids for sharing an ARC of this title with me. I reviewed an eBook version of the uncorrected proof for review purposes.

[Theediscerning]

This looked to be a very good book, but for having a very weird structure. Without a by-your-leave we jump into the world of Jaws with the much more placid basking shark, and get a highly-pictorial chapter that is both an introduction to sharks as a whole, and the basking one in specifics. And the pattern follows – each time we turn to a new type we get a melange of the common and the everyday, the universal and the unique, and it's a bit hard as a result to just pin down what is what. Such things also allow for stereotypes – the great white has of course to be the place where 'sample biting' is first mentioned – the way these fish just nibble semi-lethally at us to see what the heck we even are.

Now, given some Detroit, some acid, some Philly and some chunky and even the most cloth-eared will know what makes house music and what makes the different types so distinctive, but I do think in a nature book for the young we could have learnt about the generic and then the specific. That way we get the lateral line detail delivered once, and not any time the creators think relevant. I like the way this is designed as an extended databank, covering the distribution, feeding, breeding etc of all the species deemed fit to gain entry, and the way each one gets a side-on diagram to point out all its functioning features. That puts me more in line with this volume's previous title, "The Shark Encyclopaedia for Kids". But the way the many pictorial captions act as non sequiturs, and the way the book is so bitty yet needs to be read cover to cover to get us to know a shark in full, and then again so all the specifics actually land home, does a fair bit of disservice, and proves that neither the old title nor the new can really work around such an ungainly format.

[Annie Leadley]

An absolutely fantastic Book for any Child or even Adult who agrees that Sharks are some of the most impressive predators we have swimming in our world's oceans, from the massive Whale Shark to the tiny Dwarf Lantern Shark & others I'd not even heard of . The Text is easy to understand teaching lots of amazing facts & accompanied by beautiful photo's & charts . I would highly recommend this book. #NetGally, #Goodreads,#Instagram, #FB, #Amazon.co.uk , # Waterstones, #,#, #

[Christine Woinich]

My son has a huge interest in sharks, so I decided to review this book. I loved the photos, the level of writing for elementary children, and the detailed descriptions of the sharks, mating, babies, and more. I enjoyed that the fact that most sharks are not man eaters was made prominent to help dispel some of the fear, as well as the damage that man has done to the number of sharks swimming in the oceans, used for food, leather, and trophy. I recommend this for anyone who loves sharks or wants to know more.

I received a copy of this story through North Star Editions via Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.

[Mary]

Any kid who likes sharks will absolutely fall in love with this book. The photo illustrations as well as the detailed descriptions will certainly fulfill any kids curiosity. You can never know too much about the creatures who all the ocean home. The information contained on the pages of this book will also give kids a healthy respect for sharks.
I received an advanced reader copy for free from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.