Sharkabet

The time has come for a terrific book like this. Sharks are the subject of widespread and abiding public interest, an interest spurred on by (often sensationalist) media portrayals. As author Peter Benchley writes, "(The) long term reaction to Jaws has been not hatred but facination," while Time magazine in response to an apparent spate of shark attacks last year, pronounced summer 2001 "The Summer of the Shark". Despite the prevailing fascination with sharks, the animal -- like science as a whole -- continues to be shrouded in misconceptions, and these misconceptions, in turn, have placed sharks in great peril. Ray Troll's engaging art and essential text present the little known depths of shark diversity with a hip whimsical flair. Beautifully designed, this very high quality printing from WestWinds Press does justice to Troll's delightful, yet scientifically accurate, rendering. A quick shout-out to the scientists whose research Ray has brought to life, especially the paleontologists. Ray has given flesh to the bones of their long gone critters. Hopefully, this "back to basics" book will offer a more balanced view of those endangered predators still with us in Earth's oceans today.

I find myself coming back to this book again and again to study the brightly-colored illustrations and tasty chunks of spellbinding sharklore. As a teacher of native English in Japan, I can testify to SHARKABET's popularity with children and adults alike; it even cuts across the language barrier with its visual wonders. In addition to pictures of unusual sharks in their native habitats, there are also fanciful but realistic scenes that leave my students gaping, such as sharks swimming in the air (for comparison with we earthbound types). Although I find the extinct prehistoric sharks to be the most fascinating -- some with mouths that look like power tools -- the little-known living sharks give their predecessors a run for their money (look for the Cookie Cutter Shark). The colors are vivid and lifelike, the facts seem like something out of God's own Sci-Fi Playroom, and even the experts find new treats to chew on in this excellent, amazing wonder.

If you, like me, LOVE sharks but are tired of all the ordinary shark books on the market, this is the book for you! Ray Trolls funny, yet biologically correct fish paintings are always a joy, and this book is no exception. Although my favorite is the goblin shark on Halloween, it has tough competitors among the threshers as well as all the prehistoric species that are described in the book. Buy this! You won't regret it.

Sharkabet takes the reader on a delightful dive past 26 of the coolest sharks and rays ever assembled. Each colorful page bristles with "Ratfish" Ray Troll's trademark mix of eye-popping art, sly humor, and scientific accuracy - resulting in an alphabet book that is a joy for children and adults alike. In addition to sampling the 1000+ species of sharks and rays alive today, Sharkabet contains highlights from over 400 million years of shark prehistory - bringing to life sharks that have never before been illustrated! Highly recommended for all ages.