The Great Shark Rescue: Saving the Whale Sharks

by Sandra Markle

Overview

Top-selling science author Sandra Markle presents the story of whale sharks—the largest fish on the planet. Facing threats from commercial fishing as well as climate change, they were categorized as endangered in 2016. Find out how scientists are working to study and protect these gentle giants of the ocean.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781541510418
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	10/01/2019
Series:	Sandra Markle's Science Discoveries Series
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	9.90(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.70(d)
Lexile:	1120L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 11 Years

About the Author

Sandra Markle is the author of numerous award-winning books for children. A former elementary science teacher, she is a nationally-known science education consultant. Markle has received many honors for her series Animal Predators, Animal Scavengers, and Animal Prey. Several titles have been named as National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)/Children’s Book Council (CBC) Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12, and Animal Predators was honored as a Top 10 Youth Nonfiction Series by Booklist.

Over 500 schools participate in Markle's Book Explorers program which provides free resource-packed emails and classroom activities. Markle lives in Lakewood Ranch, Florida with her husband, photographer Skip Jeffery.

Editorial Reviews

"Well organized, clearly written, and excitingly illustrated, this highly enlightening work is an excellent addition for any nature collection as well as for the study of the environment and endangered species."—starred, School Library Journal

From the Publisher

★ 2019-07-24
The largest fish in the ocean, whale sharks are threatened by commercial fishing, climate change, and lack of scientific knowledge.

Once again, Markle (The Great Rhino Rescue, 2018, etc.) ably introduces a vanishing species to her wide audience. She grabs their attention with a suspenseful opening: Two not-yet-grown sharks (16 and 22 feet long) are accidentally trapped by the purse seine of a commercial fishing boat. Before she relieves readers with an account of their rescue, she has introduced the species, described their "oceans of problems," and explained the tools scientists have developed to investigate their "mysterious life." Strictly speaking, this is less about that rescue and more about the developing research that may save the species, listed as endangered in 2016, but Markle and her publisher may be forgiven the title which sets this solidly in her Science Discoveries series. As in previous entries, her clear and well-organized exposition is supported by lively design, diagrams, maps, and eye-catching photographs, including one of the trapped juveniles. Short stand-alone sections compare whale sharks to humpback whales, describe the shark's filter feeding, and explain how researchers identify individual sharks by their patterns of spots and stripes. Finally, she notes that great white sharks need our help, too, concluding with some words about her research and a few additional facts.

Another wonder of the animal world, adeptly displayed. (author's note, additional facts, timeline, source notes, glossary, further reading, index, photo acknowledgments) (Nonfiction. 9-14)

Kirkus Reviews