Review: Keating, J., & Miguéns, M. A. (2017). Shark lady: The true story of how Eugenie Clark became the oceans most fearless scientist.
Keating, J., & Miguéns, M. A. (2017). Shark lady: The true story of how Eugenie Clark
became the oceans most fearless scientist. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.
became the oceans most fearless scientist. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.
Shark Lady tells the true story of the life and contributions of Eugenie Clark in a way that is accessible to readers preschool and up. It is a great introduction for young readers to biography, women in science careers, and the ever-popular subject of sharks. The artwork by Miguéns reveals even more to the story than the text; Clark’s Japanese-American heritage is apparent, though not expressly discussed.
Eugenie loves sharks from the time she is a young girl, and wants to learn all about them, as well as clear up their bad reputation. What is not explicitly stated is that she was born in 1922, and contemporary readers may be wondering what exactly the book means in saying that people thought sharks were “mindless monsters.” It may be more impressive to children today to understand that we no longer view sharks that way precisely because of innovators such as Clark herself. Understanding the time period also clears up why Clark was told to give up her studies to “be a secretary” or “be a housewife,” and certainly lends even greater appreciation to her perseverance and accomplishments.
Thankfully, a timeline at the end clarifies the period, and the extent of her hard work and dedication, from earning her doctorate in 1950 to her numerous publications. The bright illustrations portray the workings of a child’s imagination, and the writing will entertain with ocean quips, such as how Clark “dove” into books or “plunged” into studies, or how sharks “swam” in her dreams. An appendix amusingly entitled “Shark Bites” provides additional facts.
Keating herself is a zoologist, and it’s clear in her upbeat telling of Clark’s story that she admires and relates to her mission and challenges. The end message of the story is clear: we can overcome any obstacles to our goals with courage and determination. Other takeaways include the importance of conservation efforts to our ocean ecosystem, and not allowing ourselves to be held back by gender bias or other societal limitations.
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