TOUGH, TOOTHY BABY SHARKS

Sharks have unyielding appeal, and this inviting photo-essay combines that fascination with solid information about their reproduction and growth. Striking close-up photographs of 11 different kinds of sharks from around the world illustrate the variety of ways they develop, from conception to maturity. As she did with Slippery, Slimy Baby Frogs (2006), Markle supports young readers’ natural interest in the reproductive cycle with clearly identified illustrations and relatively simple but informative text. She differentiates among the species and compares them to their relative, the bony fish. The beautifully reproduced color photographs include pictures of Port Jackson Sharks mating, baby Thresher Sharks inside their mother’s uterus, a Draftboard Swell Shark hatching from its egg and both Great White and Whitetip Reef Sharks catching prey. Both the map and the glossary include page numbers, and the book ends with a comment about threats to the species and a few interesting facts. Sure to please both readers and listeners. (Nonfiction. 5-9)