MARE Hotlist

Every once in a while, a book comes across our desks at MARE that results in what can only be described as a tug-of-war. Everyone wants it in their personal library. Such is the case with Sharkabet: A Sea of Sharks from A to Z by author and illustrator Ray Troll. Now if you're unfamiliar with Troll's oeuvre, you have a lot of catching up to do. Those of us involved in marine science education are familiar with Ray's body of work (mostly through our flagrant display of his art on our bodies). Who can forget such T(roll)-shirt classics as Nullum Gratuitum Prandium (There is No Free Lunch) featuring a cascade of fishy characters eating and, in turn, being eaten. Or our personal T-shirt favorite: the sexy salmon-themed Spawn Till You Die!

Published in association with the American Museum of Natural History, Sharkabet is a facinating and visually stunning book on sharks and their cartilaginous relatives. While not exactly a children's A-B-C book (the vocabulary and content make it challenging for early readers), any age can enjoy the fun, color-rich, playful though scientifically accurate illustrations. The book not only presents an A to Z extravaganza of living and extinct shark species, but also provides an up-to-date evolutionary tree of possible relationships. From Angel and Cookie-Cutter Sharks to extinct Whorl Tooths and Xenacanths, we think this book will provoke excitement, entertainment, and discussion as part of your MARE library at any grade level.

For more of Ray's books, shirts, hats, posters and other fun stuff, visit the Troll Store. Tell them MARE sent you!