Each page includes colorful photographs of different types of sharks and dolphins, highlighting both similarities and differences. The end of the book features four pages of activities for further learning. The simple text and easy-to-understand facts are appropriate for children ages four to eight, though people of all ages may learn something from this interesting book.
Companion title Sharks and Dolphins, by Kevin Kurtz, is a more successful compare-and-contrast exercise, as these animals look very similar but are actually quite different. Topics addressed include where they are found, types of each, fish versus mammal, body characteristics, and what and how they eat. Backmatter instructs readers on reading and making a Venn diagram and asks them to put a food web in the proper order and identify shark and dolphin body parts.
I find both sharks and dolphins fascinating. They both have peculiar qualities that intrigue and excite. Sharks and Dolphins: A Compare and Contrast Book has realistic photos of both creatures and explains how they are both alike and different. This book helps children identify and correlate. For each fish or mammal pictured, there is a title telling what it is. Some featured are orcas, blacktip reef shark, bottlenose dolphin, and lemon shark.
My kids enjoyed learning about sharks and dolphins. This was a lot of fun and wasn't overwhelming with information. It was just the right amount to keep them interested in the topic. The best part is that they learned something new and it was fun for them. I was able to do science and language arts in a unit study with them. We never knew that there is so many different species of sharks and dolphins. My kids loved all the photographs.
The book's simple text not only points out these differences but also four activity pages allow the reader to apply some of the information he/she has learned while reading this book. Since this isn't intended to be a detailed study, I'd use this book to launch a discussion of the differences not only between sharks and dolphins but also other animals, plants and birds.
Sharks and dolphins both have torpedo-shaped bodies with fins on their backs. They slice through the water to grab their prey with sharp teeth. But despite their similarities, sharks and dolphins belong to different animal classes: one is a fish and gets oxygen from the water and the other is a mammal and gets oxygen from the air. Marine educator Kevin Kurtz guides early readers to compare and contrast these ocean predators through stunning photographs and simple, nonfiction text.
This is a remarkable booklet designed especially for children for children as it introduces the reader to these creatures of the sea that have captivated our interest for generations. The author explains that dolphins are animals, similar to lion, giraffes, bats, and humans. The basic principles, showing how these creatures are like each other and how they are different are explained. The full-color and large-size photographs are dramatic and detailed, which includes the great hammerhead shark, sawfish shark, mako shark, great white shark, thresher shark, and spiny dogfish shark. There are included 4 pages of learning activities. This is a remarkable booklet, guaranteed to hold a child's attention and wonderment.