Sharks in Kansas?

Sharks in Kansas: The Ancient Sea in the Middle of America

by Melissa Stewart; illus. by Becca Stadtlander 

40 pages; ages 4-8

‎Random House Studio, 2026

themes: sharks, prehistoric ocean, nonfiction

Sharks in Kansas? Seems impossible, right? After all, Kansas is smack-dab in the middle of the United States – more than 1,000 miles from the closest ocean…

… and when we think of Kansas we imagine waving fields of wheat, not ocean waves! But here’s the thing: our world hasn’t always looked the way it does now. And Melissa Stewart takes us back in time to 85 million years ago to show us what scientists imagine Kansas looked like, and some of the amazing creatures that lived there. Back then, it was part of a vast interior seaway, with dinosaurs roaming the shores and sharks swimming the deep waters. Many kinds of sharks including the Cretoxyrhina which grew to 26 feet long! (That’s like five of me lined up head to toe!)

What I like about this book:  I love the diversity of sea life that Melissa introduces, with quick facts in sidebars. Not only does she tell what they are, their size, and where they sit on the food chain, she provides a pronunciation guide for each creature. That 26-foot-long shark, for example: kruh-tox-ee-RIE-nuh. Through words and illustrations we see the inland seaway shrink until all that’s left are chalky bluffs filled with coccolithophores and fertile soil beneath which the SHARKS lie! Back matter tells more about the geological changes over time.

Beyond the Books:

What did your state look like 90 million years ago? Check out the ancient earth globe.

Try one of the shark crafts listed at https://craftprojectideas.com/now-trending/shark-week/. I like the “feed the shark” activity myself.

Watch the sharks at the Georgia Aquarium via their “shark-cam”.

How long is a shark? Use chalk to draw a line 26 feet long on a sidewalk (or use a clothesline on a lawn). Have you and your friends lie down end-to-end ... how many of you does it take to make one giant prehistoric shark?

Melissa writes tons of books about science and is a member of the STEAM Team Books group. You can find out more about her at her books at her website https://melissa-stewart.com. You can find more about recently released STEM and STEAM books at www.steamteambooks.com

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by Blue Slip Media, who graciously shares publisher’s copies with reviewers like me.