I Am the Shark, by Joan Holub | Dedicated Review

Review of I Am the Shark
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The Children’s Book Review

I Am the Shark

Written by Joan Holub

Illustrated by Laurie Keller

Ages 4-8 | 48 Pages

Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers | ISBN-13: 9780525645283

What to Expect: Facts, Science, Biology, Humor, and Self-Esteem Insight

There are sharks of all different shapes and sizes in the ocean. Some are huge and others are tiny. Some are super smart, while others use sneaky coloring or anatomy to catch their prey. Some have strangely shaped heads, some can swim super-fast, and some others can boast of being ancient creatures that live for up to 400 years. The Great White Shark is not the biggest, or the smallest, or the smartest, or the sneakiest, or the strangest, or the oldest, or even the fastest. So just what does make him “great”? As Great White learns, you don’t have to be the most of anything to be awesome!

Everyone has heard about the terrifying Great White Shark, but I Am The Shark is exemplary for the way it uses both humor and facts to introduce readers to some of the hundreds of other types of sharks that exist in the vast ocean. As the sharks argue among themselves, readers will pick up a wealth of fascinating shark information, tying facts about anatomy to an understanding of habitats and behaviors. The cartoon-style illustration further enhances the presentation of detailed, kid-friendly factual information, such as the shark blueprint showing the function of each anatomical feature. A reading list at the end of I Am the Shark provides opportunities for readers to explore further.

I Am the Shark is a fun and fascinating picture book that would be fantastic both within and beyond the classroom!

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About the Author

Joan Holub has authored and/or illustrated over 150 children’s books, including the Goddess Girls middle grade series and the Heroes in Training chapter book series (with Suzanne Williams); This Little Environmentalist: A Love-the-Earth Primer board book; the New York Times bestselling picture book Mighty Dads, illustrated by James Dean; Little Red Writing, a picture book illustrated by Melissa Sweet; and Zero the Hero, a picture book illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. She adores line dancing to the Jaws theme, reading Sharkspeare, and vacationing in Finland.

For more information, visit joanholub.com.

About the Illustrator

Laurie Keller is the author and illustrator of many books, including The Scrambled States of America, Potato Pants!, Arnie the Doughnut, Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners, the Adventures of Arnie the Doughnut chapter book series, and We Are Growing!, part of the Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! series and winner of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award. When Laurie isn’t busy making books, she enjoys playing the banjo, traveling, cross-country skiing, and splashing in Lake Michigan, where as far as she knows, there is not a single shark.

For more information, visit lauriekellerbooks.com.

Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. This is a sponsored*, non-biased review of I Am the Shark, by Joan Holub and Laurie Keller. Learn more about getting a book review …