What If You Could Sniff Like a Shark? (What if you had...?)

by Sandra Markle (Author) Howard McWilliam (Illustrator)

What If You Could Sniff Like a Shark? (What if you had...?)
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

If you could have any ocean animal's superpower, whose would you choose?

What if you woke up one morning, and you suddenly had the superpower of an ocean animal? If you could shapeshift like a giant Pacific octopus, you could squeeze through even the smallest gaps. If you could snap your claws like a coconut crab, you could slice through sheets of metal. And if you could sniff like a great white shark, you'd be able to smell treats from miles away!

With zany illustrations and amazing true facts, What If You Could Sniff Like a Shark? launches a brand-new series from bestselling creators Sandra Markle and Howard McWilliam. The What If You Could...? books have all the appeal of the What If You Had...? titles, but focus on animal superpowers and feature a fresh new design.

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School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3—Markle and McWilliam have produced some interesting "What If You Had...?" titles involving hair, teeth, feet, and noses. This next book in the series describes the "superpowers" of ocean animals. Nine animals and their unique adaptations are spotlighted. Scenarios depict the awesome abilities readers would have if an animal's characteristics were adapted to a human body. A cartoon kid demonstrates each adaptation, such as a child using crab claws to snap through tin or a puffed-up child floating in a parade to illustrate how large a pufferfish can expand. A brief paragraph discusses the animal; a photograph is placed next to the cartoon drawing for comparison. A world map indicating where the creature lives is featured. There are also "What you should know" fact boxes and additional details about the animals. End pages provide information on the four ocean zones. VERDICT Kids will get a kick out of this great mix of illustrations and animal facts. Libraries that have the previous titles in their collection should add this one to the set. Consider purchasing the entire series so readers can peruse all the "What If You Had...?" books.—Sandra Welzenbach, Villarreal Elementary School, San Antonio

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

Praise for What If You Had Animal Teeth?: Though perhaps not the best choice for the nightmare-prone, this will surely satisfy animal enthusiasts and trivia lovers, and dentists and parents will appreciate the mention of ways to keep human chompers healthy. — BooklistIt's a hilarious and instructive combination that makes it clear just how variable and individually suited this aspect of anatomy is, and the art takes the concept and runs — well, chomps — with it. — Bulletin of the Center for Children's BooksDelightful illustrations and factual presentations of animals make this a valuable purchase for early elementary classrooms and libraries. — Library Media ConnectionThe lively text, photographs, and quirky illustrations charmingly tell a great tooth story. — International Reading Association
Sandra Markle
Sandra Markle is the author of more than 200 children's books, which have won numerous awards, including Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book, IRA/CBC Children's Choice, NSTA/CBC Outstanding Trade Books for Children, NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended, and ALA Notable Books for Children. She lives in Florida.
Vanessa Morales is an illustrator, character designer, and concept artist with a deep love for nature. She has done design and illustration work for Disney, Macmillan, Scholastic, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and more. When she's not working, she enjoys painting in traditional techniques. She is the illustrator of Could You Ever Dive with Dolphins!?, and more!
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9781338356083
Lexile Measure
940
Guided Reading Level
O
Publisher
Scholastic Inc.
Publication date
June 20, 2020
Series
What If You Had... ?
BISAC categories
JNF051150 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Science & Nature | Zoology
JNF003150 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | Marine Life
JNF003090 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | Fishes
Library of Congress categories
Behavior
Marine animals
Adaptation
Physiology

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