Kid Konnection: The Ultimate Book of Sharks

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 a book that's perfect for Shark Week which is only a few weeks away!

Summary: Dive into the wild world of sharks! Get up close to learn the truth behind these fantastic, ferocious fish with famed National Geographic photographer and explorer Brian Skerry. Join this amazing underwater adventure to track the sharks of the world, from the teeniest dogfish to the everfeared great white. This ultimate book features every species of shark on the planet, with awesome photos, fascinating facts, the latest science, and firsthand stories of real-life encounters with these incredible creatures. Learn how sharks live, how they eat, the challenges they face, and whether or not you are actually on the menu! -- National Geographic Kids

THE ULTIMATE BOOK OF SHARKS:YOUR GUIDE TO THESE FIERCE AND FANTASTIC FISH by Brian Skerry is one of those books that doesn't exactly appeal to me... because I am terrified of sharks. However, if I put aside my irrational fears, I have to admit that this is one very cool book!

THE ULTIMATE BOOK OF SHARKS is a gorgeous (yes gorgeous!) oversized, hardcover book that has more information about sharks than you could ever imagine... making it perfect for kids who want to learn more about this fascinating animals. This book also has hundreds of shark photographs throughout which are truly incredible (although I've come to almost expect that from a National Geographic book.)

The author, Brian Skerry, is a National Geographic photographer and explorer; and it truly feels as if he's taking readers on an underwater adventure to learn more about every species of shark in the world. Naturally, there are details on the different varieties of sharks, but there are also interesting sections on shark conservation and real-life encounters by the author.

I really liked how THE ULTIMATE BOOK OF SHARKS was organized. Rather than have a page detailing each shark variety (which could get a little redundant), the book is divided into the following chapters: Spectacular Sharks, Exploring Shark Anatomy, The Secret Lives of Sharks, The Fintastic Ten, Shark Myths Busted!, Colossal Fossils, Super Sharks, and Be a Shark Defender. Readers will find information about their favorite (or not-so-favorite!) varieties, but they will also learn about general shark anatomy and the extreme sharks including the largest, the deadliest, and the funkiest!

I decided to give this book a try despite not being entirely comfortable seeing so many photos of these creatures. I have to say that this is one excellent resource for anything and everything sharks. The information is presented in clear, concise way, but it's also fun and easy-to-read either straight through or in snippets. Of course, the photographs are breath-taking (as are the stories about the author's interactions with sharks which are captured in Skerry Encounters sections!). And I think many kids will enjoy the statistics, the interesting details, and the stranger but true stories about the amazing animals!

THE ULTIMATE BOOK OF SHARKS is a must-read for kids who love sharks and are excited about Shark Week. However, I also think school libraries and classrooms need this book on their shelves.

Thanks to Media Masters Publicity 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!