Shark Books (Fiction and Nonfiction Texts for the Primary Grades)

Sharks are fascinating creatures that kids love to study. While there are hundreds of shark books for kids out there, not all of the material is easily accessible to young students. Here are several shark books that your kids can both read and enjoy.

You can click on any of the titles below to learn more about each book or find all of these books on my Amazon page.

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Nonfiction Shark Books

If your students are interested in sharks and have unanswered questions, these nonfiction shark books will provide a lot of information in a way your students can understand.

Sharks (National Geographic Kids) by Anne Schreiber

I love using the National Geographic Kids texts with students. They are filled with colorful photographs, interesting information, and text that students can read and comprehend. This book is a Level 2 in the series.

Sharks by Gail Gibbons

Gail Gibbons is one of my favorite authors of nonfiction text for students. This book provides detailed illustrations, key vocabulary, and several interesting facts about a variety of sharks.

Shark Attack! by Gail Tuchman

This book is a Level 2 Scholastic Nonfiction text. It is filled with colorful photographs and information about sharks. Kids can use a variety of nonfiction text features to navigate through the text.

Hungry, Hungry Sharks by Joanna Cole

Hungry, Hungry Sharks is a Level 3 text in the Step into Reading series. This book looks like a fiction text at first glance due to the illustrations and layout of the text. However, students will discover interesting facts throughout the book.

Fly Guy Presents: Sharks by Tedd Arnold

Fly Guy and Buzz are off to the aquarium to learn more about sharks. Tedd Arnold has a great way of combining fun facts with humor throughout the text. Students will also find a balance of colorful photographs and notes that Buzz records as he learns about sharks during his trip to the shark exhibit.

Dolphins and Sharks: A Magic Tree House Fact Tracker by Mary Pope Osborne

This chapter book is the nonfiction companion to Dolphins at Daybreak, a book in the Magic Tree House series. However, don’t be fooled by the title – there are several chapters full of information about sharks.

Shark Books (Fiction with Facts)

These shark books are great for students who love to read about a familiar character (or two), but still want to learn more about sharks.

Ready, Freddy! Shark Attack by Abby Klein

Freddy Thresher is the character in the popular chapter book series, Ready, Freddy! He loves sharks and his dream has come true: he’s about to be face-to-face with a real live shark! Freddy’s first-grade class is taking a field trip to the aquarium, and Freddy can’t wait. He’ll get to see fish and rays and moon jellies and – his favorite sharks! The aquarium even has a Shark Quiz. If he can answer all the questions correctly, Freddy will win a prize for his shark knowledge! But wait – where is Freddy’s lucky shark tooth? He can’t pass the quiz without it!

If your students are fans of Freddy and his love of sharks, you might be interested in this post, where I share more about this shark book craft and response booklet that can be used with the Ready, Freddy! series.

Freddy Thresher, the main character in the Ready, Freddy! series by Abby Klein loves sharks! Your shark enthusiasts can create this shark craft and response booklet to use while reading any of the books in the Ready, Freddy! series.

Magic School Bus Chapter Book #7: The Great Shark Escape by Jennifer Johnston

Did you know The Magic School Bus series has a set of chapter books, too? In this story, a class trip to the aquarium winds up in the depths of the ocean as Ms. Frizzle’s class must escape the jaws of a great white shark! During their adventure, Ms. Frizzle teaches the class about different shark species, including the goblin shark, angel shark, whale shark, and others. Like the picture book series, readers can expect to find plenty of facts and information about sharks throughout the story.

The Magic School Bus and the Shark Adventure by Elizabeth Smith

This is a Level 2 Scholastic Reader. In this book, Keesha found something at the beach, but no one knows what it is! Ms. Frizzle and the class will try to solve the mystery, but will they make it back from a trip to the world of sharks? Take a trip on the Magic School Bus and learn all about sharks!

Fiction Shark Books

I couldn’t make a list of shark books without including some picture books that are more likely to entertain than inform your shark enthusiasts!

Misunderstood Shark by Ame Dyckman

The filming of an underwater TV show goes awry when the crew gets interrupted by a… SHARRRK! Poor Shark, he wasn’t trying to scare them, he’s just misunderstood! Then he’s accused of trying to eat a fish. Will Shark ever catch a break? After all, he wasn’t going to eat the fish, he was just showing it his new tooth! Or was he?

Clark the Shark by Bruce Hale

Clark is a shark with zing, bang, and BOOM. He zooms into school, crashes through the classroom, and is rowdy at recess. Clark loves life, but when his enthusiasm is too much for his friends, Clark’s teacher, Mrs. Inkydink, helps him figure out a way to tone it down. This is just one of the many books in a series featuring Clark the Shark.

Smiley Shark by Ruth Galloway

Smiley Shark may be the biggest fish in the ocean but he’s also the friendliest and the funniest – and by far the smiliest. So why won’t the other fish let him join in their games? Soon Smiley doesn’t feel much like smiling any more. Until a great big shark smile is all it takes to save the day!

I’m a Shark by Bob Shea

Shark’s not afraid of anything. The dark? Nah. A big mean bear? Don’t make him laugh! But there is one thing that even Shark fears. . . . Can you guess what it is?

The Three Little Fish and the Big, Bad Shark by Will Grace

“Little fish, little fish, let me come in.”
“Not by the skin of my finny fin fin!”
“Then I’ll munch, and I’ll crunch, and I’ll smash your house in!”

This book puts a hilarious spin on The Three Little Pigs! Mama tells her three little fish that it’s time to make their own homes. Jim builds his house of seaweed, but the big bad shark munches it up. Tim builds his house of sand, but the shark crunches it up. It’s smart Kim who sets up house in an old sunken ship!

Nugget and Fang by Tammi Sauer

In the deep ocean, tiny Nugget and big, toothy Fang get along swimmingly–until Nugget’s first day of minnow school. There Nugget learns that minnows are supposed to be afraid of sharks! To regain Nugget’s trust, Fang takes desperate (and hilarious) measures. But it’s not until his big sharp teeth save the entire school that minnows learn this shark is no foe. This is the story of an unlikely friendship.

Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton

If you think Superman vs. Batman would be an exciting match-up, wait until you see Shark vs. Train. In this hilarious and wacky picture book, Shark and Train egg each other on for one competition after another, including burping, bowling, Ping Pong, piano playing, pie eating, and many more! Who do YOU think will win, Shark or Train?

Land Shark by Beth Ferry

The only thing Bobby wants for his birthday is a pet shark. So you can imagine his disappointment when his parents get him…a puppy. Everyone knows shark lovers can never become dog lovers. Or can they? Full of humor and heart, this book explores the idea that sometimes, getting exactly what you don’t want turns out to be exactly what you need.

If you are planning to read shark books with your small groups, I have created several book companions you might like. These include comprehension and vocabulary activities, graphic organizers, and more! Click on any of the titles to learn more.