In this riveting true adventure and informative guide to the sea, master storyteller Peter Benchley draws on more than four decades of diving experience to bring us face to face with the array of sharks and other marine animals he and his family encountered, almost always on purpose - but sometimes by accident.
　　We meet a great white that seems determined to cut the lifeline to Peter´s cage; a giant manta ray that takes Peter on a soaring underwater ride; a school of nine-foot barracudas on the trail of Peter´s son; a killer whale that just wants its tongue scratched, all the way back; and much more.
　　Dive in and discover the lessons Peter learned, the mistakes he made, the danger he faced, and the spectacular sights he saw in the world´s largest environment - home to some of the most fascinating creatures imaginable.
　　Grade 5-8–Benchley writes about his personal experiences with sharks as well as a variety of other sea creatures considered dangerous to humans. Filming for the movie Jaws and television programs such as "The American Sportsman," the author traveled to the Great Barrier Reef in search of great white sharks, Vancouver Island for killer whales, and Polynesia for hammerheads. He describes being four inches from the jaws of a great white that bit into the cage´s rope and thrashed it violently, nearly severing him from his lifeline. Menacing encounters with morays, barracudas, and manta rays are just as engaging and relay all that is awesome and beautiful about these creatures. Philosophical asides about humans´ attempt to manipulate nature are not too heavy-handed and will help foster a healthy respect for the sea. A conversational section about swimming safety warns readers about undertows, rips, and death-gripping currents. A centerfold of black-and-white photos is included. Benchley´s anecdotal style and gory details result in a page-turner for middle readers.
　　Gr. 5-8. Benchley draws upon four decades of diving and studying ocean creatures in these insights and lessons about sharks. He goes to great lengths to counter the common misperception of sharks as aggressive predators of human beings, which is ironic given that Benchley´s best-selling adult novel, Jaws, has probably done more than anything to perpetuate that very myth. Benchley shares many anecdotes of his personal encounters with sharks, including the Great White, in stories that are always exciting and sometimes terrifying. In addition to the anecdotes, he offers practical advice to readers on how to swim safely in the ocean and how to avoid shark attacks and potentially dangerous encounters with other sea creatures. Since Benchley writes from personal experience and observation, this probably won´t supply students with report material, but it is an engaging, frequently exciting recounting of one man´s fascinating adventures in the ocean. A glossary is included.
　　（本书每页约130个单词，没有插图）