Dun-dun…dun-dun…dundundundundun — if it’s July, it’s time for sharks! Every July since 1988, cable television’s Discovery Channel has aired Shark Week. Filled with shark-themed programming, Shark Week is a popular and much anticipated television event. While it has been criticized for including fictional programming along with the educational episodes intended to increase knowledge of and correct misconceptions about sharks, it remains a favorite among television viewers.
Several new books about sharks are out this year, and I am looking forward to reading them. I know I’m not alone in saying that sharks terrify and fascinate me at the same time. I’ve dipped my toes, so to speak, into shark literature, and what I’ve learned so far has greatly expanded my respect for these top predators. I always thought they were solitary hunters, but many species are quite social and have been observed to have distinct personalities. Unlike the fictional shark in the film “Jaws,” they aren’t single-minded killing machines, fixated on destroying man and boat. Researchers have also observed behavior that resembles play and a sense of curiosity.
I’m not ready to go swimming with the sharks anytime soon, but I appreciate their role in nature and support shark conservation.
My advice for readers? Dive right in and check out the library’s selection of shark-related materials. To get you started, today’s reading list offers a sample of titles for adults and kids. And if you’re feeling nostalgic about the first time you watched “Jaws” and “Jaws 2,” these films, along with the unforgettable cinematic wonders “The Meg” and “Meg 2: The Trench,” are also available to check out.
