First Dive to Shark Dive

by Peter Lourie

Boyds Mills Press publishes a wide range of high-quality fiction and nonfiction picture books, chapter books, novels, and nonfiction

Genres: Nonfiction

48 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2006

About the author

Peter is an award-winning author, professor, and explorer. He has written over two dozen nonfiction books for children and adults spanning topics from adventure and the environment to polar bears and lost treasure.

His forthcoming book, Locked in Ice: Nansen's Daring Quest for the North Pole is a spellbinding biography of Fridtjof Nansen, the pioneer of polar exploration, with a spotlight on his harrowing three-year journey to the top of the world.

A true adventurer, Lourie has traveled all over the world to research his subjects, from the cloud forest in Ecuador in search of Inca treasure, to Lake Turkana in northwestern Kenya on the Ethiopian border, to Terra del Fuego and the jungles of Rondonia, Brazil.

Reviews

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really beautiful introduction to scuba diving for readers who are interested in not only learning more about the sport, but also getting to see a young person's first-hand experience through many photos and her own words.

Suzanna wants to learn how to scuba dive, so her father (already a certified diver) takes her to the Bahamas, where she is taught by an enthusiastic man named Skeebo and learns alongside a local teen boy. In addition to her scuba training each day, she enjoys exploring the colorful, fun life of the island of Andros. This book should encourage an interest in travel for younger people. I wish I had encountered this book when I was around Suzanna's age! Having recently gotten scuba-certified myself, I could easily identify with her fears and reservations, but also her determination.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know Skeebo. I also met Peter Lourie yesterday. (January 24, 2014.) Peter has token many adventures in his life such as the Hudson River. Skeebo and Peter are both funny guys. When Peter told me about Suzanna when she was young, I laughed so hard.

Back to the book, it was pretty good.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Peter Lourie takes his daughter to the Bahamas so she can learn to dive. Following Suzanna from Day 1 to Day 7, Lourie describes learning to dive, Skeebo the instructor, and the beauty of this Caribbean island. Suzanne goes from learning to dive in a pool to an incredible shark dive in one short week.

Recommended as a nonfiction text for middle school students. I wish that the nonfiction features were a bit stronger. There are some text boxes about coral and other sea life but I really wish these features were stronger.

[Ally · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I thought it was cool that it gave history as well as the adventure of the dives. I was very interested in the process you have to undergo to get a certificate to dive. It seemed like a very long process. I think I would be scared to go on a shark dive right after I got my certificate.

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book chronicles 7 days of a father-daughter trip to the Bahamas during which she receives SCUBA certification. The experience culminates in a shark dive. Excerpts from daughter's journal and photos from the trip complete the package.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written, engaging, informative, and empowering read. It's perfect to read with your child and share the adventure, or get it out of the library for your child to read.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

True account and provided facts about scuba diving, and a father and daughter going to an island to become certified for open water.