We’re going to need a bigger tote.
From true tales to fin-tastic fiction, these reads from the deep are guaranteed shark bait.
Plus, enter our Shark Week Sweepstakes!
Just When You Thought You Could Go Back in the Water:
Jaws by Peter Benchley
The classic suspense novel of shark versus man, which was made into the blockbuster Steven Spielberg movie. The Jaws phenomenon changed popular culture and continues to inspire a growing interest in sharks and the oceans today.
“A tightly written, tautly paced study of terror [that] makes us tingle.”—The Washington Post
“Powerful . . . [Benchley’s] story grabs you at once.”—The New York Times Book Review
“Relentless terror . . . You’d better steel yourself for this one. It isn’t a tale for the faint of heart.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, and eBook Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Gone Fishin’:
Shark Drunk: The Art of Catching a Large Shark from a Tiny Rubbery Dinghy in a Big Ocean by Morten Strøknes
The Lofoten islands in Norway are as isolated and forbidding as they are majestic. In this true story, two friends, the author and the eccentric artist Hugo Aasjord, set out onto the icy waters surrounding the islands. Their quest: to pursue the infamous Greenland shark—a massive creature that can grow to twenty-six feet in length and more than a ton in weight—from a tiny rubber boat. But the shark is not known for its size alone: its meat contains a toxin that, when consumed, has been known to make people drunk and hallucinatory. Together, the two men tackle existential questions, survive the world’s most powerful maelstrom, and, yes, get drunk, as they attempt to understand the ocean from every possible angle, drawing on poetry, science, history, ecology, mythology, and their own, sometimes intoxicated, observations.
Winner of the Norwegian Brage Prize 2015 • Winner of the Norwegian Critics’ Prize for Literature 2015 • Winner of the Norwegian Reine Ord Prize at Lofoten International Literature Festival 2016
Available in Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
Blue Meridian: The Search for the Great White Shark by Peter Matthiessen
A classic work of nature and humanity, by renowned writer Peter Matthiessen (1927-2014), author of the National Book Award-winning The Snow Leopard.
National Book Award-winning author Peter Matthiessen takes readers on an expedition to find the most dangerous predator on Earth—the legendary great white shark. On a trek that lasts 17 months and takes him from the Caribbean to the whaling grounds off South Africa, and across the Indian Ocean to the South Australian coast, Matthiessen describes the awesome experience of swimming in open water among hundreds of sharks; the beauties of strange seas and landscapes; and the camaraderie, tension, humor, and frustrations that develop when people continually risking their lives dwell in close proximity day after day. Filled with acute observations of natural history in exotic areas around the world, Blue Meridian records a harrowing account of one of the great adventures of our time.
Available in Trade Paperback and eBook Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Close to Shore: The Terrifying Shark Attacks of 1916 by Michael Capuzzo
Combining rich historical detail and a harrowing, pulse-pounding narrative, Close to Shore brilliantly re-creates the summer of 1916, when a rogue Great White shark attacked swimmers along the New Jersey shore, triggering mass hysteria and launching the most extensive shark hunt in history.
“A remarkable read . . . a flash photo of the moment when our fascination with sharks transformed from awe into mortal dread.”—Entertainment Weekly
Available in Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Inside the Mind of an Apex Predator:
Sharks, Death, Surfers: An Illustrated Companion by Melissa McCarthy
How sharks have been depicted over centuries and across cultures—and what sharks see when they look back.
Steering her analysis from the newspaper obituary through literature and past cinema, Melissa McCarthy investigates a fundamental aspect of the human condition: our state of being between life and death, always in precarious and watery balance. Sharks, Death, Surfers observes how sharks have been depicted over centuries and across cultures, then flips the lens (and dissects the cornea) to consider what sharks see when they look back.
These refracted lines of inquiry—optical, philosophical, historical—converge at the focal point where we can fix the image of the surfer and the shark. This is the picture McCarthy frames: the cartilaginous companions gliding together in a perfect model of how to read, navigate, and exist.
Available in Trade Paperback.
Fin-tastic Fiction:
The Shark Club by Ann Kidd Taylor
A warm and wonderfully vivid novel about taking second chances—in life and in the sea.
“This one’s a quintessential summer read: It’s based in the Gulf of Mexico so even if you’re only sunning at your local beach, you can still daydream of palm trees and pristine waters.”—Marie Claire
“A spellbinding meditation on one woman’s unresolved past . . . Consider it required summer reading for anyone still tangled in the tricky project of growing-up.” —Refinery29
Named one of Refinery29’s best books of 2017 • Named one of the best books of the summer by * PopSugar * Bustle * Southern Living * Coastal Living * Marie Claire * PureWow
Available in Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Click for a Discussion Guide.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
The Shark-Infested Custard by Charles Willeford
From the master of Miami noir comes this tale of four regular guys living in a singles apartment building who experience firsthand that there’s more than one type of heat in Miami.
“If you are looking for a master’s insight into the humid decadence of South Florida . . . nobody does that as well as Mr. Willeford.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Willeford has a marvelously deadpan way with losers on both sides of the law.” —The Philadelphia Inquirer
Available in Trade Paperback and eBook Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Books Kids Can Sink Their Teeth Into:
Smiley Shark by Ruth Galloway; Illustrated by Ruth Galloway
Far away in the deep rolling ocean lived Smiley Shark. Smiley Shark longed to dip and dive, jiggle and jive, dart and dash with a splish and a splash with all the other fish; but whenever he smiled at them they swam away. But when all of the other fish are trapped in a fisherman’s net, it’s up to Smiley Shark to find away to free them—and he saves the day with his big, toothy smile!
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, and eBook Editions.
Good Night Sharks by Adam Gamble and Mark Jasper; Illustrated by Cooper Kelly
Good Night Sharks features great white sharks, whale sharks, spinner sharks, blue sharks, hammerhead sharks, leopard sharks, mako sharks, tiger sharks, bull sharks, thresher sharks, angel sharks, blacktip sharks, cookiecutter sharks, and more.
Young divers will explore the fascinating world of sharks while learning about different species and their watery environments.
Available in Board Book and eBook Editions.
Click for More Books in the Good Night Our World Series.
Super Shark Encyclopedia: And Other Creatures of the Deep by DK
A jaw-dropping visual voyage of fun facts discovery exploring the deep waters of the sea and the mysterious creatures that live in it.
Uncover our oceans’ secrets in this kid’s book with a remarkable array of 80 sharks as well as other fascinating sea creatures that lurk in her depths! This comprehensive encyclopedia for children covers a diverse range of ocean inhabitants in mesmerizing detail.
Incredible 3D digital images, breath-taking photography, and intricate cutaways reveal more about the species of the ocean depths than ever before, complemented by informative kid-friendly profile text to turn your little ones into ocean experts!
What are you waiting for? Dive in and become an expert of the deep blue!
Available in Hardcover and eBook Editions.
Click for More Books in the Super Encyclopedia Series.
Shark Listens for Kids:
Shadow of the Shark by Mary Pope Osborne; Illustrated by Sal Murdocca
Travel with Jack and Annie to the deep, dark ocean to encounter the stealthiest of underwater predators: the shark!
Jack and Annie are going on vacation! Or so they think. Teddy, the young sorcerer, has promised them a relaxing time off the coast of Mexico. The magic tree house whisks them away to a beautiful sandy beach, and Jack and Annie are ready to raft on the ocean waves. But when a hungry shark attacks, their dream vacation turns into a nightmare!
Available in Hardcover, Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
Click for More Books in the Magic Tree House® Merlin Mission Series.
The Sands of Shark Island by Alexander McCall Smith
Imagine going to school on a boat! The rip-roaring excitement continues in the second volume of this adventure-mystery series set on the high seas, from the author of the beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency!
Ben and Fee MacTavish and their schoolmates on board the School Ship Tobermory are headed thousands of miles from their base in Mull to a small island in the Caribbean. They will learn extraordinary details about Captain Macbeth’s past and come face to face with modern-day pirates. The students and crew aboard the Tobermory will have to band together and use their wits to escape harm and overcome the evil pirates.
Available in eBook and Audio Editions.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
Click for More Books in the School Ship Tobermory Series.
Shark Wars 1 & 2 by EJ Altbacker
For the first time ever, Shark Wars and Shark Wars 2: the Battle of Riptide are together in one single, action-packed audiobook.
Since the dawn of time, prehistoric shark clans called shivers have ruled over the earth’s oceans. For eons, the Big Blue has prospered under Shiver Law, and the delicate balance of sea life kept sacred. Until now.
When a young shark named Gray is exiled from the safety of his peaceful reef home, he and his best friend Barkley find themselves forced to venture out into open water. In the dangerous open ocean, the two friends learn that not all sharks are interested in upholding Shiver Law, and some sharks are even trying to destroy it.
With the ocean on the brink of chaos, Gray must work with his friends to take down the corrupt shivers and bring peace back to the ocean. But first, he’ll have to unlock the secrets of his destiny and discover the truth about who—and what—he really is.
Available in Hardcover and Audio Editions.
Click to Read an Excerpt.
Listen to a Clip from the Audiobook.
Enter Our Shark Week Sweepstakes!
We’re going to need a bigger tote!
Enter for your chance to win our Shark Week sweepstakes. One lucky winner will receive copies of Jaws by Peter Benchley, The Shark Club by Ann Kidd Taylor, Smiley Shark by Ruth Galloway, Shark Drunk by Morten Strøknes, Super Shark Encyclopedia by DK, and a Sharks & Waves Extra Large Beach Tote from Sun & Song.
ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.
Enter between July 8, 2021 and July 19, 2021.
Open to US residents, 18 or older. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.
See Official Rules for full details.
