Smart About Sharks

In a stylized guide to sharks featuring cheekily titled spreads (“All Fins Considered”; “Eat, Prey, Hunt”), Davey explores various aspects of sharks including their anatomy, behavior, reproduction, and the myths surrounding them. A spread devoted to “awards” honors the epaulette shark for its “astounding ability of walking out of water” and the nurse shark as the “laziest,” and a “weird and wonderful” section highlights some of the striking diversity among sharks. Davey’s crisp, matte illustrations capture the animals’ naturalistic attributes while evoking a sense of their mystery and allure; players of the popular app Two Dots, also illustrated by Davey, may notice that the sea tortoise and squid in a section about sharks’ diet look a bit familiar. It’s an engaging and visually sophisticated addition to shark-lovers’ libraries. Ages 6–up. (Aug.)