ALA Booklist (Sun Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 1995)

With a good balance of text and illustrations, Simon introduces the world of sharks. Always informative, he offers basic information about their variety, habits, physical characteristics, and life cycles. Although not captioned, the excellent full-color photographs relate so closely to the text on the opposite page that the pictures work in harmony with the words. An effective introduction to sharks. (Reviewed Oct. 15. 1995)

Horn Book (Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 1995)

The long history of sharks is one of many interesting aspects explained in this lucid, handsome photo-essay. Simon's basic premise is the need to overcome the preponderance of sensationalized accounts that tend to perpetuate the mythology of sharks as monsters. The color photographs will certainly attract readers, and the text is objective and informative, serving its subject and readers well.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-5--In a narrative that flows from the general to the specific, Simon describes the appearance, physical characteristics, and behavior of sharks. Large, full-color photographs amplify the text and hint at its contents. For example, a closeup of a sand tiger shark's open mouth and row upon row of teeth invites readers into the facing text, which describes how sharks bite and what happens when a tooth is broken or lost. A photo of the gaping mouth of a whale shark introduces the filter-feeders, a small group without teeth. The information is not indexed or divided into chapters. This is not as detailed a treatment as Mary M. Cerullo's Sharks (Cobblehill, 1993) or Sharks (Facts on File, 1987). Instead, it's an introduction to the topic that combines seamless description with excellent photos to describe creatures that never fail to fascinate.--Frances E. Millhouser, Chantilly Regional Library, VA