Kid Konnection: Sharkopedia

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm going to share with you an amazing book for fans of Shark Week!

Summary: TIME Home Entertainment, Inc has teamed up with Discovery Channel to create Sharkopedia: The Complete Guide to Everything Shark—a book full of captivating photos and the coolest facts about the world’s most astonishing and feared creatures. Sharkopedia (Time Home Entertainment, Inc.; $19.95 US) is available at www.sharkopedia.com and wherever books are sold. 

The book also includes an introduction and special contributions from shark expert and marine biologist Andy Dehart, a regular contributor to Discovery’s popular week-long TV event, Shark Week. 

This 192 page full-color book includes over 400 vivid photos and offers a wealth of information about the nearly 500 species of sharks. Sharkopedia is the ultimate comprehensive resource for shark fans of all ages and explains everything there is to know about these amazing underwater predators.  Its chapters dive into areas such as:

·         Shark Anatomy and Senses –Explore shark parts, skin, muscles, fins, gills, hearing, taste and touch.

·         Feeding Habits – What’s the name of the shark that takes small, cookie shaped bites out of its prey?

·         Record Breakers – Which shark can live over 200 years?

·         Shark Behavior – Do sharks sleep?

·        Shark Conservation – Rather than being afraid of sharks, people should be afraid for sharks, as their populations are seriously threatened. Scientists, legislators and advocates—people who love sharks—are working to protect sharks in many ways. 

In addition, Sharkopedia is filled with information about some of the most infamous sharks, including the Great White, Bull and Tiger. Learn about the two fastest-swimming sharks, how some sharks get their teeth cleaned, and why tiger sharks are known as “garbage guts.” Readers will get a close-up look at what makes sharks the most fearsome hunters in the ocean, read about the Great White “Ring of Death,” and much more.

“New advances in technology have allowed scientists to learn a great deal about sharks and one thing is abundantly clear – sharks are not the mindless monsters of the deep that many thought them to be,” said Dehart. “Whether you are fascinated or frightened by sharks, Sharkopedia showcases these amazing animals and allows us to captivate audiences year round outside of the water.” -- Time Home Entertainment

Duuun dun duuun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun BOM BOM dun dun dun dun dun dun doo dedoo doo dedoo dede doo dede doo dededoo 

Can you tell that is supposed to be the theme from JAWS? Pretty corny, right?

I know many of you are counting down to Shark Week '13. It's only a little over a week away, beginning on August 4th. I'm not sure I'd say I'm really all that interested in sharks, but because of the excitement surrounding the event, I decided to take a peek at SHARKOPEDIA: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO EVERYTHING SHARK. 

And let me tell you... I now get it! Sharks are absolutely amazing and this full-color book has made me a fan (or at least someone who is fascinated by sharks.) My initial reaction to SHARKOPEDIA was "wow!" because it has more than 400 incredible photos. However, I must say that the details about these animals is as impressive as the photographs. I truly can't believe how much information this book contains.

SHARKOPEDIA is divided into loads of chapters and sub-chapters which make it easy to find exactly what you are looking for. For example, there are chapters on  Shark Anatomy; Shark Orders; Angelsharks; Habitats; Carpetsharks; Senses; Frilled Sharks and Cowsharks; Extinct Species; Bramble, Roughsharks, Lantern Sharks, and Other Dogfish Sharks,; Feeding Habits; Catsharks; Life Cycle; Hammerhead Sharks; Shark Behavior; Smoothhounds, Topesharks, Whiskery Sharks, and Other Houndsharks; Sharks and Humans; Requiem Sharks; Shark Research; Weasel Sharks; Shark Conservation; Horn and Bullhead Sharks; Record Breakers; Mackerel Sharks; Shark Bites; Sawsharks; and New Sharks. And those are just the main chapters! Each chapter has multiple sub-chapters too!

Needless to say SHARKOPEDIA is a great resource for anything and everything shark-related. But the real beauty of this book is in how the information is presented -- it's extremely fun. I mentioned that there are over 400 color photographs and captions. This makes the book so interesting for readers... of all ages! There are also sidebars which detail the highlights on different topics, various fun (or fin) fact blurbs, and "did you know?" and "guess what?" sections among other interesting bits of trivia. There are even some quotes by Andy Dehart, a contributor to Shark Week.

SHARKOPEDIA is sure to keep your kids entertained for hours and tide them over between Shark Weeks. Highly recommended for fans of sharks as well as "future" fans of sharks (like me!)

Thanks to Goodman Media for providing a review copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!