Here are 87 books that The Ultimate Book of Sharks fans have personally recommended if you like The Ultimate Book of Sharks. Book DNA is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Hairy Frogfish

Deb Aronson Author Of Reptiles: King Cobras

From my list on misunderstood or weird creatures for children.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a non-fiction writer my entire career and I love learning new things and then sharing them with readers in an approachable and engaging way, as these books do. These books encourage curiosity and that kind of “Oh! I didn’t know that!” response, which can spark a young reader to dig deeper and even share their new knowledge with others.

Deb's book list on misunderstood or weird creatures for children

Deb Aronson Why Deb loves this book

This book isn’t so much about a misunderstood creature as an unheard-of creature!

The hairy frogfish is something I’ve never heard of and I’m sure young readers will be completely intrigued by the existence of this creature. The photographs are compelling and the text is very simple, so it is good for almost any reading level.

By Grace Hansen ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Hairy Frogfish as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This book introduces young readers to the spooky and weird-looking hairy frogfish! Complete with awesome photographs, a range map, and more! Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Abdo Kids Jumbo is an imprint of Abdo Kids, a division of ABDO.


If you love The Ultimate Book of Sharks...

Book cover of The Real Boys of the Civil War

The Real Boys of the Civil War by J. Arthur Moore,

The Real Boys of the Civil War is a research about the real boys who served during the war, opening with a historiography research paper about their history along with its 7-page source document. It then evolves into a series of collections of their stories by topic, concluding with a…

Book cover of Reptiles for Kids: A Junior Scientist's Guide to Lizards, Amphibians, and Cold-Blooded Creatures

Deb Aronson Author Of Reptiles: King Cobras

From my list on misunderstood or weird creatures for children.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a non-fiction writer my entire career and I love learning new things and then sharing them with readers in an approachable and engaging way, as these books do. These books encourage curiosity and that kind of “Oh! I didn’t know that!” response, which can spark a young reader to dig deeper and even share their new knowledge with others.

Deb's book list on misunderstood or weird creatures for children

Deb Aronson Why Deb loves this book

This book covers a broader range of creatures. I find it an outstanding introduction to reptiles, because each chapter discusses a different reptile group—snakes, lizards, turtles and tortoises, crocodiles and alligators, and, lastly, amphibians.

The material is clearly organized and includes a general description of the animal type, their anatomy, their diet, and then, a separate section on reptiles (or snakes etc.) at home that gives the young reader a way to learn more about a specific creature that is safe for them to explore and even keep as a pet.

By Michael G Starkey ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Reptiles for Kids as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 6, 7, 8, and 9.

What is this book about?

Explore the fascinating world of reptiles with the Junior Scientists series for kids ages 6 to 9

Big and small. Cute and dangerous. Covered in spikes, scales, and bony plates! Reptiles for Kids is filled with fun facts and amazing photos of slithering snakes and lizards, tough turtles and tortoises, creepy crocodiles and alligators, and some awesome amphibians. These ancient animals come in all sizes, shapes, and colors, from the weird to the wonderful and everything in between.

Learn how a tadpole becomes a frog, what a crocodile likes to eat (and how it catches its prey!), and which gecko…


Book cover of Anglerfish: The Seadevil of the Deep

Deb Aronson Author Of Reptiles: King Cobras

From my list on misunderstood or weird creatures for children.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a non-fiction writer my entire career and I love learning new things and then sharing them with readers in an approachable and engaging way, as these books do. These books encourage curiosity and that kind of “Oh! I didn’t know that!” response, which can spark a young reader to dig deeper and even share their new knowledge with others.

Deb's book list on misunderstood or weird creatures for children

Deb Aronson Why Deb loves this book

I loved Anglerfish because you really feel like you are traveling with this particular creature on her journey to the deepest reaches of the ocean. She starts out this really cute, vulnerable baby and ends up pretty darn ferocious looking (here I should add that I think the illustrations are just outstanding!!)

We see her morph from a regular looking baby fish to one that has ferocious teeth, and more unusually, a lantern sticking out of her forehead! This has GOT to be one of the weirdest creatures on the planet! Plus to see the size difference between the female (big) and the male (teeny tiny) was amazing. I turned back to those pages several times. 

By Elaine M. Alexander , Fiona Fogg (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Anglerfish as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Dive thirteen thousand feet below the ocean's surface into the midnight zone, home to the anglerfish - a cunning hunter known as the Seadevil of the Deep.

Deep in the darkest part of the ocean where no ray of sunlight can reach, Anglerfish makes her home. Resources are scarce, and fellow inhabitants scarcer. Still largely a mystery to scientists, the deep-sea anglerfish is a true source of fascination and awe. This mesmerizing picture book shines a light on the fascinating fish, pairing a captivating text with stunning artwork.


If you love Brian Skerry...

Book cover of The Yesterday Dress

The Yesterday Dress by Teena Raffa-Mulligan,

Everyone in Angelina's big family has a story to tell.

The Yesterday Dress is a story for seven to nine-year olds about family connections and how learning about the past gives us a stronger sense of where we come from, who we are and how we fit into our world.…

Book cover of Aye-Aye Gets Lucky

Deb Aronson Author Of Reptiles: King Cobras

From my list on misunderstood or weird creatures for children.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a non-fiction writer my entire career and I love learning new things and then sharing them with readers in an approachable and engaging way, as these books do. These books encourage curiosity and that kind of “Oh! I didn’t know that!” response, which can spark a young reader to dig deeper and even share their new knowledge with others.

Deb's book list on misunderstood or weird creatures for children

Deb Aronson Why Deb loves this book

This picture book, part of an endangered and misunderstood animals series, aims for a much younger audience and is adorable!

The illustrations make the reader feel very connected to the aye-aye and the adventures of the aye-aye are fun for a very young reader to follow, especially this story because aye-aye gets in trouble and plays pranks and then learns that it is not fun to be on the receiving end of that kind of behavior, so you get a life lesson and information about an endangered animal, all in one!

At the back of the book are some fun facts about the aye-aye and also “how to draw an aye-aye,” which are perfect for this readership. Young readers will also like that there are several other, similar books in the series.

By Terri Tatchell , Ivan Sulima (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Aye-Aye Gets Lucky as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

Aye-Aye doesn't mean to be naughty. He can't help himself. Or can he?

Aye-Aye is an endangered lemur who loves pulling pranks on the villagers of Madagascar. He loves it when they squeal, but mostly he loves it when they huck their yummy meals at him.

Until one day, they decide enough is enough and ban him from the village! Poor Aye-Aye is lonely and hungry and desperate to find a way to win back their hearts and clear his name. But how can he when he doesn't understand where he went wrong?

Luckily, a friendly flying fox swoops in…


Book cover of I Am the Shark

Charlotte Gunnufson Author Of Dream Submarine

From my list on exploring the ocean for children.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a children’s book author who is awed by the ocean and the creatures that dwell in its depths. I love writing for kids because they’re unabashedly eager, enthusiastic, and curious! To write this book, I dove deep into researching information about the ocean. The more I learned, the more I wanted to know. I kept thinking, kids will love these fascinating facts and they’ll want to learn more. The wonderful books on this list tell amazing tales, take kids on adventures, and turn dry facts into a deluge of fun. These nonfiction stories offer kids opportunities to become immersed in our awesome ocean!

Charlotte's book list on exploring the ocean for children

Charlotte Gunnufson Why Charlotte loves this book

I laughed my way through this book about kids’ favorite ocean inhabitants!

In it, a silly shark presents a boatload of facts in a very funny way. Humor helps kids learn and remember! The story starts with a toothy, “Hey there!” from Great White Shark who introduces himself to readers as “the greatest shark in this book.” But another shark begs to differ—a whale shark who’s as big as a school bus.

Great White decides he must be the smallest shark. Nope. The smartest shark. Nope. The sneakiest shark? Wrong again. Off-the-hook hilarious illustrations make even the scariest shark entertaining and endearing.

By Joan Holub , Laurie Keller (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked I Am the Shark as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

What makes the great white shark (one of) the greatest fish in the sea? FIN-d out in this hilarious fish-out-of-water story that's perfect for Shark Week and all year-round!

"Don't miss this one." -School Library Journal, Starred Review

Hi! I am Great White Shark, and if you get this book, you'll read all about ME--the greatest shark in the sea!

Not so fast! Greenland Shark here, and as the oldest shark in this book, that makes me the greatest.

Did someone say fast? I'm Mako Shark, and I'm the fastest shark in this book! Eat my bubbles!

Wow, I'm Hammerhead…


Book cover of Neighborhood Sharks: Hunting with the Great Whites of California's Farallon Islands

Maddalena Bearzi Author Of The Secret Life of a Sea Turtle

From my list on oceans and the animals who live there for kids.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a marine biologist with a Ph.D. in Biology, a conservationist, and an author. As the co-founder of Ocean Conservation Society, I have conducted one of the world’s longest studies on dolphins off California. I have co-authored Beautiful Minds: The Parallel Lives of Great Apes and Dolphins and authored Dolphin Confidential: Confessions of a Field Biologist and Stranded: Finding Nature in Uncertain Times. My latest illustrated children’s book is The Secret Life of a Sea Turtle. I've written for national and international media, including National Geographic, and currently contribute essays on environmental issues and nature for various publications. 

Maddalena's book list on oceans and the animals who live there for kids

Maddalena Bearzi Why Maddalena loves this book

It seems the author (and illustrator) of this book, and I share a passion for the oceans, their wondrous creatures, and the thrill of big adventures in nature. We also appear to share a love for the often misunderstood sharks, marine animals that many humans fear.

In this nonfiction children’s book (for 7 to 12 years old), the author dives into the lives of the most feared of all sharks: the great white. She tracks these creatures in their hunting ground off the Farallon Islands, just 30 miles off San Francisco, California, revealing their remarkable hunting techniques.

The book is informative for kids and serves as a call to action to protect these amazing creatures, whose numbers are dwindling by the day.

By Katherine Roy ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Neighborhood Sharks as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 7, 8, 9, and 10.

What is this book about?

A few miles from San Francisco lives a population of the ocean's largest and most famous predators. Each fall, while the city's inhabitants dine on steaks, salads, and sandwiches, the great white sharks return to California's Farallon Islands to dine on their favourite meal: the seals that live on the island's rocky coasts. Massive, fast, and perfectly adapted to hunting after 11 million years of evolution, the great whites are among the planet's most fearsome, fascinating, and least understood animals.

In the fall of 2012, Katherine Roy visited the Farallons with the scientists who study the islands' shark population. She…


If you love The Ultimate Book of Sharks...

Book cover of The Twins of Auschwitz: The inspiring true story of a young girl surviving Mengele's hell

The Twins of Auschwitz by Lisa Rojany,

This is the Inspiring true story of a young girl surviving Mengele’s hell. This is an incisive, harrowing, and touching memoir of Eva Mozes Kor and her twin sister Miriam, who are sent to Auschwitz only to be torn from their parents and given to Josef Mengele, "The Angel of…

Book cover of Devil's Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among America's Great White Sharks

Ret Talbot Author Of Chasing Shadows: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Great White Shark

From my list on world books through science, history and adventure.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been passionate about the natural world since I was a child. This passion took me to many remote corners of the globe, and I always returned with a desire to share what I observed. As a science writer and journalist, I’ve been fortunate to tell multidisciplinary stories from the tops of the Andes to the reefs of Papua New Guinea and many places in between. As a writer, I know the importance of reading, and I’m constantly seeking out books by journalists and authors obsessed with topics that are often obscure but always fascinating—topics that have led them on journeys of exploration they share through their books. 

Ret's book list on world books through science, history and adventure

Ret Talbot Why Ret loves this book

I love how journalist Susan Casey takes us inside this story and ultimately becomes part of it while revealing remarkable facts about white sharks and the scientists who study them. As a journalist, I can relate to how her obsession almost drew her too deep into a largely unknown and dangerous place inhabited by an animal that was as much myth as reality to her before she came face to face with it.

There is a lot to like about this book, but for me, ultimately, the immediacy, honesty, and vividness of her writing made me unable to put it down.

By Susan Casey ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Devil's Teeth as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Since "Jaws" scared a nation of moviegoers out of the water three decades ago, great white sharks have attained a mythical status as the most frightening and mysterious monsters to still live among us. Each fall, just twenty-seven miles off the San Francisco coast, in the waters surrounding a desolate rocky island chain, the world's largest congregation of these fearsome predators gathers to feed. Journalist Susan Casey first saw the great whites of the Farallones in a television documentary. Within months, she was sitting with the program's two scientists in a small motorboat as the sharks - some as long…


Book cover of Misunderstood Shark

Cassandra Federman Author Of This Is a Sea Cow

From my list on children’s stories about ocean animals.

Why am I passionate about this?

I've been fascinated by the ocean and all of its inhabitants for as long as I can remember. When I was little, I discovered my dad’s SCUBA license and it blew my mind that I was related to someone who was allowed to explore the underwater world! Later, when I got to college, I took advantage of two exciting opportunities. First, I got my own scuba license. Second, I studied abroad in Belize, where I conducted manatee research by tagging, tracking, and rescuing manatees. I enjoyed the time I spent with the animals, but not the lab work. Now I express my passion for sea creatures in the books I write.

Cassandra's book list on children’s stories about ocean animals

Cassandra Federman Why Cassandra loves this book

This book introduces some basic facts about sharks in an original, laugh-your-pants-off kind of way. The misunderstood shark derails jellyfish’s live TV broadcast with his questionable behavior. Readers will be left to debate the shark’s actual intentions and to discuss the cool shark facts they learned along the way. The supporting characters in the book also have fantastically funny dialogue. Every inch of this book is fun! And again, kids will be laughing and learning at the same time.

By Ame Dyckman , Scott Magoon (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Misunderstood Shark as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, and 5.

What is this book about?

From bestselling author Ame Dyckman and illustrator Scott Magoon comes the laugh-out-loud story about a Misunderstood Shark who just wants to show the world who he really is...

Every beachgoer knows that there's nothing more terrifying than a... SHARRRK! But this shark is just misunderstood, or is he? In a wholly original, sidesplittingly funny story, New York Times bestselling author Ame Dyckman and illustrator Scott Magoon take this perennial theme and turn it on its (hammer)head with a brand-new cheeky character. The filming of an underwater TV show goes awry when the crew gets interrupted by a... SHARRRK! Poor Shark,…


Book cover of The Bones Remember

M. A. Monnin Author Of Death in the Aegean

From my list on vacation spots perfect for hiding a body.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a mystery writer, I’ve always got my eye out for a great place to hide a body. I can’t help it, it’s a hazard of the job. I also love to travel, and a mix of the two has always been irresistible to me, whether I’m reading or writing. I’d say I’m not the only one who enjoys a little sightseeing with my whodunits, because my first book, Death in the Aegean, was nominated for an Agatha Best First Novel Award by the Malice Domestic community. I hope you enjoy these picks that combine some of my ideal vacation spots with entertaining whodunits.

M. A.'s book list on vacation spots perfect for hiding a body

M. A. Monnin Why M. A. loves this book

I’ve never been to New Zealand, and this book makes me feel like I’m there with forensic odontologist Alexa Glock, who identifies bodies via dental records.

She navigates men, murder, and the ocean in this tightly woven murder mystery that’s as much about her personal life as her professional one. I learned quite a bit about sharks and whales, and bonus, this mystery includes quicksand!

By Sara E. Johnson ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Bones Remember as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A new title in the Alexa Glock Forensics Mysteries. When bodies wash up on the beach, is man or animal the culprit? It'll take everything forensic specialist Alexa Glock has to seek out the truth. Because lips may lie, but teeth never do...
These thrilling New Zealand mysteries are:Perfect for Fans of Kathy Reichs and Candice FoxFor readers of forensic mysteries and international mysteriesFor lovers of police procedurals and marine scienceAt first, Alexa Glock's initial case as a traveling forensic investigator seems straightforward-her expertise in teeth helps her identify the skeletal remains of a hunter found on the remote Stewart…


If you love Brian Skerry...

Book cover of Unfathomable: 20 Wild (But True) Stories About the Ocean

Unfathomable by Mary Boone,

Did you know you can survive being swallowed by a whale? Or that octopus wrestling used to be an actual sport? Or, that once a town in Oregon didn't know what to do with a whale carcass that washed up on their beaches, so they...BLEW IT UP?

As strange as…

Book cover of The Shark Caller

Tamsin Winter Author Of Girl (in Real Life)

From my list on strong female protagonists.

Why am I passionate about this?

Whatever story I’m telling, I try to write female characters who are smart, funny, kind, and ultimately empowering; characters that drive the narrative, not the other way around. It is really important for me that my female characters have agency – that they actively move the story forward, make decisions and step up. Those are the kind of stories I like to read too. The books on this list are some of my favourites and all contain strong female protagonists. I hope you enjoy.

Tamsin's book list on strong female protagonists

Tamsin Winter Why Tamsin loves this book

I have always been fascinated by sharks, so to read the story of Blue Wing, who lives among them, was an absolute joy. Set on an island near Papua New Guinea, this is a heartbreaking story, beautifully and originally told, that explores grief, friendship, forgiveness, and our relationship with nature. I’ve traveled and swam with sharks near where this book is set and it was so special to revisit those places in the book. But it’s Blue Wing’s selflessness, wisdom, and bravery that make this book utterly unforgettable. 

By Zillah Bethell ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Shark Caller as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

WINNER OF THE EDWARD STANFORD CHILDREN'S TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR 2022

A SUNDAY TIMES CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE WEEK

Dive beneath the waves with this spell-binding adventure of friendship, forgiveness and bravery, set on the shores of Papua New Guinea, perfect for fans of Katherine Rundell and Eva Ibbotson.

"I want to be able to call the sharks. Teach me the magic and show me the ways."

Blue Wing is desperate to become a shark caller, but instead she must befriend infuriating newcomer Maple, who arrives unexpectedly on Blue Wing's island.

At first, the girls are too angry to…


Book cover of Hairy Frogfish
Book cover of Reptiles for Kids: A Junior Scientist's Guide to Lizards, Amphibians, and Cold-Blooded Creatures
Book cover of Anglerfish: The Seadevil of the Deep

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