Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 05/01/2016 *Starred Review* The great white shark is widely feared but little understood, a situation some scientists have set out to change, one bit of data at a time. Sibert Medal–winning writer Montgomery and marine photographer Ellenbogen introduce a team of researchers led by biologist Greg Skomal. After photographing, identifying, and tagging individual sharks around Cape Cod, the scientists study their movements over time. The book takes readers along on several expeditions with Greg’s team as it searches for great white sharks, discusses them, and sometimes identifies individuals. Descriptions of what’s happening on board the boats, along with quoted conversations, offer vivid glimpses of shark research. In the last chapter, Montgomery and Ellenbogen observe the sharks up close, from a cage lowered into the Pacific off the coast of Mexico. Readers interested in marine biology in general or great white sharks in particular will find the text informative and the you-are-there immediacy of the writing exciting. The photos, which include aerial and underwater shots, are excellent, and the fact that they illustrate this particular text rather than simply offering pictures of sharks strengthens the book as a whole. Part of the Scientists in the Field series, this is a fine addition to the ever-popular shark shelf. - Copyright 2016 Booklist.

Bulletin for the Center... - 06/01/2016 Many young shark enthusiasts will agree that Gregory Skomal has the dream job: cruising around the eastern shore of Cape Cod and into Nantucket Sound in scientific pursuit of the great white sharks. The sharks have been feasting on a recent bumper crop of gray seals and generating lots of debate within the Cape’s human communities about whether that’s a good thing. Skomal is bringing scientific fact to that debate with his research, identifying and video recording individual sharks (some of which are already known to be repeat visitors) in the hope of estimating the population and getting a better handle on their territorial range. As in most Scientists in the Field books, a tricky methodology here is thoughtfully presented with focus and accessibility in a way that makes the science easy to understand without turning it into a textbook snooze. Skomal and associates aboard the Aleutian Dream coordinate with a pilot, who is generally better able to spot the torpedo-shaped fish from the air, and from there it’s a race to the scene, a patient wait for the shark to swim close enough to be filmed, and the hope that the jury-rigged equipment will be up to the job. Montgomery and Ellenbogen are along for much of the ride, supplying scientific background, color commentary, and a gallery of photographs. Montgomery goes to great, and often humorous, lengths to put the actual danger of shark-on-human attack into perspective (annual average number of people killed by sharks-11; of sharks killed by people-100,000,000), but when dealing with fish prone to devour their unborn siblings, there’s still ample delight for thrill seekers. A selected bibliography and list of web resources are included. EB - Copyright 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

School Library Journal - 06/01/2016 Gr 5–8—Prepare to be enveloped in saltwater air and dizzying blue water in this latest entry from veteran author Montgomery. A tense opening line delivered by 52-year-old great white shark biologist Greg Skomal is sure to hook readers: "It's pretty treacherous right here." But as they will soon discover, for Skomal and team, the even greater danger is not seeing a great white at all. Montgomery deftly balances information and intrigue without delving into the sensational; the emphasis is always on providing unique insight into the fieldwork of scientists and the absolute patience and perseverance it takes to locate, identify, gather, and analyze scientific data under challenging circumstances. Her travels with Skomal and her journey into a shark cage with biologist Erick Higuera are evidence of a genuine interest in understanding great whites and reversing negative attitudes about them. Readers will come to learn that the perceived danger surrounding sharks does not always match reality (the prime example offered being the astounding number of Americans injured by toilets in comparison to shark-related deaths in a year) and that these creatures are in desperate need of quality protection and conservation efforts. Ellenbogen's crystal clear photographs range from intimate shots of crew members and aquatic life to large aerial overviews of the inlets and waters they are sailing on—students will be sure to stop and linger over these gorgeous images. VERDICT Exceptionally written and highly recommended for those looking to give a timely summer boost to STEM collections.—Della Farrell, School Library Journal - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.