Sharkabet
Kindergarten-Grade 4-An extraordinary alphabet of chondrichthyans from angel  sharks to zebra sharks with a nifty intermingling of current and  extinct species. In an introductory segment, Troll states that  to make things "simpler" he is calling "all of the  chondrichthyans sharks." This arbitrary personal classification  allows him to include such non-sharks as rays, guitarfish and  chimaeras in his alphabet soup, sadly to the detriment of  scientific purity. Two pages of "Amazing Shark Facts" precede  his "Shark Field Guide," which carefully points out the  non-sharks in his lineup, presenting data on size, color, range,  status, and fascinating "general remarks," all of which provide  enough information for the merely curious and a sturdy launching  platform for further investigations. However, the book's  greatest asset is the brilliant art bursting from the pages like  jewels. Often whimsical (nurse sharks are shown gliding about a  patient in a hospital bed) or very dramatic (an extinct  megalodon attacking a pod of prehistoric cetaceans), the images  glow on the pages like mixed-media gems.Patricia Manning,  formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NYCopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.