Early Book Review: Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating

Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating is a children's non fiction book currently scheduled for release on June 1 2017. This illustrated biography of Eugenie Clark shows her to be a scientist as impressive as the sharks she studied. At nine years old, Eugenie Clark developed an unexpected passion for sharks after a visit to the Battery Park Aquarium in New York City. At the time, sharks were seen as mindless killing machines, but Eugenie knew better and set out to prove it. Despite many obstacles in her path, including trying to break into the scientific field as a woman, Eugenie was able to study the creatures she loved so much. From her many discoveries to the shark-related myths she dispelled, Eugenie’s wide scientific contributions led to the well-earned nickname “Shark Lady,” as she become a fixture in the world of ocean conservation and shark research.

Shark Lady is an information and interesting read. Eugenie Clark faced a number of hurdles in pursuing her interest in sharks, including the accepted gender roles and sexism that still persists to a certain extent in the sciences. I appreciated the research that was clearly put into the book and the facts that were included about this wonderful role model's efforts and determination to make her dreams come true. I did not realize that she had made such interesting discoverings, and was glad to learn more about a woman making such strides in her chosen field. While I have no interest in swimming with sharks, I could still appreciate her interest and feel like young readers will be inspired to explore their own interests and dream by reading about her efforts and success. In fact, my daughter wants to be a wild life veterinarian for everything BUT sharks, so maybe this read will show her some of what might be involved, and that sharks are not so bad.