Are You Smarter Than a Shark?; David George Gordon, illustrated by Josh Lynch

Are you smarter than a shark? One of life’s less asked questions but also one that has plenty of validity and is sure to intrigue as this new non-fiction book proves.

Sharks, just like humans, learn, remember, are curious and love to play. Sharks also think a bit differently to most other ocean life. But are they really smarter than humans? Are their brains really as good as their bite or is it all bravado? Take the test and find out for yourself, but be warned…sharks are already one ahead of you as they have a ‘special’ sixth sense unlike your five…

To survive in the ocean you need a few street, or should that be ocean, smarts. And sharks have plenty of ‘smarts’ that help them thrive and survive in their watery world. Admittedly, it helps being one of the larger ocean dwellers. Being one of the top ocean predators with a fearsome reputation and having razor sharp teeth all help too but there is a bit more to these fin-tastic fish.

The book is a great introduction to sharks and what makes them rather special. It starts off by covering things like where they live, what they look like, history and diet before diving into the five senses and this is where readers are given the opportunity to see how their senses compare to those of a shark’s and to see who really is the smartest. Sniffing pizza toppings, licking lollipops and fun in the bath tub are just some of the tests that readers are encouraged to try at home. Despite being one of the more feared ocean creatures sharks still need help and they make their own plea to “Save the sharks” at the end of the book, this includes a list of organisations that protect sharks. A glossary of shark terms rounds things off.

Every page is a delight. Backgrounds in shades of blue create the perfect underwater world and sharks - most of whom look friendly - swim playfully across the pages. The cartoon style illustrations are eye-catching and pack plenty of humour as the sharks crack jokes involving plenty of funny wordplay and puns.

A fun, fact-filled shark-fest.

Recommended for 6+.

With thanks to Quarto Publishing for the advanced reader copy that was received via Netgalley.