I Am the Shark

K-Gr 5–If there were a competition for what’s the greatest kind of shark, which species would be the winner? This fun and exuberant book aims to answer that question. The great white shark assumes he’s the greatest, since he has “great” right in his name, but other sharks set him straight—he’s not the fastest or the oldest or the biggest or the smallest. Each double-page spread shows the great white shark compared to another shark. The images demonstrate the scale of each shark as well as the coloration. The artwork is brightly colored and humanizes the sharks to emphasize the great white’s disappointment with not being the greatest, to the amusement of readers. The conversation between the sharks is engaging enough to keep readers moving forward. There is a wonderfully detailed diagram of a shark’s body as well as a double-page spread of shark facts. Future ichthyologists will spend hours poring over this book and, because of its friendly artwork, even kids who find sharks scary will be willing to read a story that’s this much fun.