Let’s talk SHARKS! They elicit such strong emotions-from fear to fascination. The media loves to villainize sharks by portraying them as evil creatures (Jaws, 47 Meters Down). I’ve heard countless tales of people watching these shows and then refusing to ever go into the water again! You might have seen the Pixar animated movie Finding Nemo and heard Bruce the shark chanting “Fish are friends, not food!” right before he loses his self-control and promptly tries to eat Marlin and Dory! And, if you have a toddler in the house, you are certain to have heard the oh-so-popular “Baby Shark” song OVER and OVER again until you no longer care to hear another word about sharks. But bear with me here; there’s lots to learn about these awesome creatures.
Sharks are fearsome predators with rows and rows of teeth and an incredible sense of smell. There are over 400 species of sharks and they have been around for millions of years. They balance the ecosystems that are the oceans of the world and help to keep us all healthy.
In support of our Summer Reading Program theme, Tails & Tales, let’s celebrate Shark Week a little early and learn a bit about these intriguing creatures.
Here are some picture books to help your kiddos learn a little more about sharks and the people who study them.
