Sharks

From the Great Creatures of the World series come two basic introductory volumes, both heavily illustrated with high-quality photographs and drawings. Whales discusses evolutionary history, the various suborders of Cetacea and how to identify them, along with anatomy, migratory patterns and humans' relationship to these mammals--a rather genocidal one, as the text points out. Sharks , designed in the same excellent format--with many photos and sidebars--at times leans toward nightmarish extremism, as 21-foot monsters roam the deep in search of human flesh. But for the most part, this book, too, is a careful, scientific overview of its subject--again introducing evolutionary history from ancient fossils to newly discovered species, and discussing habitat, sensory perceptions, reproductive habits, diet, etc. Ages 9-16. (Mar.)