Shark-Tastic Summer Reading – The Best Shark Books for Kids + Giveaway!

My kids love to read and as a homeschooling mom, I love that! They also love learning about animals of all kinds, including Sharks! Today I’m sharing some of the best shark books for kids. My kids have spent hours pouring over these books and enjoying them so much!

Almost every day of the week, you’ll find our kids with a book in their hands at some point during the day. Some days, I have to chase them outside to go play and make them take a break from reading even! While we’ve never forced books or reading on our kids, we’ve made it a priority to make reading fun. We allow the kids to choose books and topics that interest them.

We’ve also introduced them to new subjects and styles of writings they may not have chosen themselves just so they could see the variety of options available. Over time, each of our independent-reading kids has come to have a true love of reading.

Shark-Tastic Reading Options For Kids

It’s summertime and that means the three S’s — sand, sea, and SHARKS! National Geographic Kids Books are always our go-to books when looking for animal books for my kids, and sharks are not an exception. National Geographic Kids Books has a large assortment of amazing shark books!

Chock full of vibrant photos, exciting first-hand accounts of shark encounters, and weird, wild and fascinating facts, these books are perfect for shark-tastic summer reading, backseat boredom busting, and the ideal gift for the shark “fin”-atic! 

Couple these books with the summertime pop culture phenomena of Shark Week and SharkFest and your child will really grow in their knowledge of sharks this summer! If you have a summer birthday invite, these books would also make fantastic gifts.

The Best Shark Books For Kids

National Geographic Readers: Sharks! (Level 2) (ages 4-7, paperback) Expertly vetted, the National Geographic Readers series has drawn high critical praise from the likes of School Library Journal (“Highly Recommended”) and Booklist (“Reliable in format and solid in execution, this series works well to introduce children of varying levels of reading comfort to nonfiction and research formats.”).  In this Level 2 Reader, young readers will learn all about sharks ― the fish who ruled the deep before dinosaurs roamed the Earth! Buy it on Amazon.

Sharks vs. Sloths (ages 6-9, hardcover) In one corner, swinging in ever so slowly, is the chillest dude himself: Sloth! And making a splash in the other corner is Shark, ready to sink her teeth into this competition! At first glance, they might seem too different to duke it out, but wait—- you’re in for a surprise! Readers have a ringside seat to view as they battle it out in 22 kooky and quirky categories, like Coolest Hangout, Weirdest Relatives, Best Smile, Biggest Appetite, and so much more. It’s up to you to follow the action and decide who’s the ultimate winner! A final spread devoted solely to conservation helps further National Geographic’s core mission to save the planet. One thing we know for sure: You’ll be a shark and sloth expert by the end of this epic showdown! Buy it on Amazon.

Ultimate Oceanpedia: The Most Complete Ocean Reference Ever (ages 7-10, hardcover)  From tsunamis and sea turtles to riptides and reefs, learn all about the creatures, science, and ecology of our oceans, which cover more of the planet than all the continents and are just as important! Travel through all parts of the ocean to learn how it effects our world, including storms and climate. Amazing facts, photos, illustrations, and diagrams are found throughout this thick, keepsake volume, along with conservation tips, weird-but-true facts, and a mini ocean atlas. Challenges to the health of our ocean and its creatures are also presented along with what people are doing to keep it pristine for generations to come. Buy it on Amazon.

Can’t Get Enough Shark Stuff (ages 7-10, paperback) Dive into the perfect combination of facts, stories, photos, and activities all about the world’s most ferocious and fascinating ocean predator―SHARKS! For animal lovers who are absolutely obsessed with everything sharks, this book has it all: tons of mind-blowing facts, games, hands-on activities, and suspenseful stories from shark experts. It also includes tantalizing tidbits about perplexing prehistoric sharks, the latest info on studying sharks in the wild, and surprising, cutting-edge discoveries about shark behavior. Buy it on Amazon.

Key features include:

• A glossary game in the front of the book to learn key terms
• More than 250 photographs
• Detailed diagrams and infographics
• Articles on the latest shark research and hands-on accounts from experts
• “Fin-tastic Facts” gallery spreads showcasing sharks with the fiercest features, the sneakiest defenses, and more
• Hands-on activities you can try at home
• Quizzes and games to test your knowledge

The Ultimate Book of Sharks(ages 8-12, hardcover) by internationally acclaimed marine photographer and National Geographic Explorer Brian Skerry is an underwater adventure like no other.  With exclusive photographs and personal insight from Skerry, this book takes the reader below the surface and into the minds of these spectacular predators.  Beyond the feared fins and terrifying teeth, readers will learn what its like to swim with these amazing fish, how they live, what they eat, their superhero-like senses and better understand why these graceful, confident, perfectly sculpted predators are also vulnerable animals that we need to protect.  Buy it on Amazon.

Mission: Shark Rescue: All About Sharks and How to Save Them (ages 10-14, paperback)  Inspiring young animal lovers to get up close to all different types of sharks and the real-life challenges they face is what Mission: Shark Rescue is all about. This compelling narrative combines fun and amazing adventure stories, gorgeous photography, hands-on activities, fascinating information, and more, connecting the reader in-depth with the animal’s real world. Meet real-life sharks and learn about their habitats, challenges, and successes, plus learn how YOU can take action and save these amazing endangered creatures. Buy it on Amazon.

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Shark-tastic Grand Prize Pack Giveaway

One lucky Thrifty Nifty Mommy reader will win all 6 of the National Geographic titles listed above, valued at $96! This giveaway is open to the US only, just enter the widget below for your chance to win. Good luck!