Shark Week: Everything You Need to Know

For readers transfixed by sharks, this photograph-filled guide, a tie-in to Discovery’s annual Shark Week, will hit the spot. Brockenbrough walks a nifty line between dispelling myths like “sharks can smell a single drop of blood in the ocean” and emphasizing just how awesome they are. Six chapters cover shark biology, anatomy, unusual specimens like the cookie-cutter shark (“the only shark that’s also a parasite”), and wouldn’t-it-be-cool face-offs like “lion vs. tiger shark” and “shortfin mako vs. crocodile.” Brockenbrough also examines the threats sharks face from human hunting, pollution, and global warming, raising the question of who the real predator is. Shark attack survival stories (what would Shark Week be without a little blood in the water?) closes out a balanced and richly informative narrative. Ages 9–12. Agent: Sarah Davies, Greenhouse Literary. (May)