Outside And Inside Sharks

Rating:
Summary: Take the title literally
Review: This book focuses on the anatomy of sharks, the inside and the outside, hence the title. The book does not go into detail about the various kinds of sharks or where in the world they live, but we have a brief glimpse at the various kinds of sharks and we get a gist for the variety: from the gentle and slow-moving whale shark to the predator great white shark to the very strange, camouflage-capable wobblegong. Clear explanations of the anatomy of the sharks are given, fully understandable to my 6 year old. An example of what is thoroughly explained is how they get oxygen from the water, how the gills operate, and how the plankton eaters filter the plankton from the ocean. There are also interesting comparisons between fish and sharks, highlighting how they are different from one another.

The text is detailed and the writing style not dumbed-down or patronizing, which I appreciate. There are many full color photographs, some of which are downright gruesome! The cross-section of the heart and the cut-open stomach showing partially chewed-up contents was a bit much.

This was a great part of our homeschooling unit on sharks. It is very thorough regarding the anatomy of sharks. To get a broader overview of sharks, additional reading is required.