Shark in the Dark by Nick Sharratt

September 2009
Review Copy
Children's Picture Book

Summary from David Fickling Books

Timothy Pope is looking out into the night with his telescope. Is that really a shark he can see? Turn the page and find out . . .

Children will delight in peeping through the die-cut holes and guessing what Tim has spotted.

Mom's Thoughts

Wheee! Sharks! I love sharks! There are not enough books about sharks, and certainly not enough children's books about sharks. This has to be better than reading that llama story again. No offense to llamas, but eight days in a row is my limit for any book.

Shark in the Dark is cute, fun, and an easy-to-read bedtime story. The words flow, the pictures are easy on the eyes, and the kids are delighted. Rhyming books make "reading" while also holding on to a squirming toddler much easier.

Kids' Thoughts

Shark!!! Mom! Turn out the light! It glows!

Glow in the dark shark fins are the best gimmick for a book EVER, according to Little Miss Pink (5). It means she can see the pictures even after the lights go out for the night.

The vocabulary is a little hard for early readers, but with a little help new readers should be able to read this book on their own. Even if they can't get all the words kids will enjoy looking at the pictures.

This is a great book to start conversations about sharks, conservation, and what fish have to do with tea. We live in Deep-South USA where tea is really a mint-flavored syrup. It took a few minutes to explain to the kids that tea was a British word for snack. It hasn't caught on, but it's a good starting point for explaining other world cultures.

Final Conclusion

Expect to find this book randomly abandoned in closets and pantry, anywhere the lights can be turned off and super-fun-glow-in-the-dark-sharks can be seen.

I'd definitely give this book to friends who want reading time with their kids, but whose kids won't hold still for the typical bedtime story.