Eugenie Clark “The Shark Lady”

On By MischenkoIn Animals, Children's Books, Education, Reads

9cdeab_15d46f858e57405fa4c03417eb253416.jpgWe recently came across a few books on Eugenie Clark, the ocean scientist who had a fondness for sharks. We enjoyed learning about her as her story was so inspiring.

From a very young age, Eugenie was told that her dreams of studying sharks and becoming a scientist were not possible. She was told by many that she should do something else with her life. Fortunately, Eugenie did follow her dreams and because of her courage we know more about sharks. People once believed that sharks were stupid and dangerous. Eugenie encouraged people to look at sharks differently.

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Throughout her life she received many awards and honors for her work and made many discoveries, including new species of fish. She was a scuba gear pioneer and conducted scads of submersible dives, traveling around the world and leading more than two hundred field research expeditions. She worked on television specials and even helped with creating the very first IMAX film.

Eugenie Clark continued diving well into her 90’s and conducted her last dive in 2014.

Eugenie wrote two books, Lady with a Spear (1953) and The Lady and the Sharks (1969), which I’m looking forward to reading. She also wrote well over one hundred scientific articles. 

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The Lady and the Sharks (1969)

Eugenie Clark is a shark expert, teacher, scientist, and scuba diver. When people ask Dr. Eugenie Clark what they should do when they see a big shark underwater, she responds… “if it’s over 40 feet long and has spots, jump on its back and get the ride of your life.”

 

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Lady with a Spear (1953)

Told by Eugenie Clark and covers her research, experiences, and discoveries in her life up to 1953.

 

 

 

Here are a few of the books we’ve recently read on Eugenie Clark which include my reviews. I highly recommend these books for children, but they are wonderful books anyone can enjoy.

Shark Lady by Jess Keating

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My Review:

Shark Lady by Jess Keating is a children’s book about Eugenie Clark and how she became an ocean scientist.

We recently read another similar book about Eugenie Clark, but this one is even better. The story starts in her childhood and explains her love for sharks.

What makes this story so great is that everyone told her that her dreams weren’t realistic and that she should do something else with her life. It’s a good thing Eugenie was so strong-willed and didn’t believe what others told her. The negative information she was handed didn’t stop her from following her dreams. Without much support, she moved on to become a successful scientist who made many new discoveries while studying sharks.

The illustrations are super colorful and interesting. There are even facts, a timeline, and an author’s note in the conclusion. This is a wonderful children’s book for schools, libraries, and homes.

stars

Swimming with Sharks: The Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark by Heather Lang

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My Review: 

Swimming with Sharks by Heather Lang is a book about Eugenie Clark, a woman with big dreams. The story explains how as a child she was fascinated with the ocean and the creatures beneath. As she grew up, she followed her heart, and became a scientist.

Many people believe that sharks are bloodthirsty assassins. Eugenie knows something that others don’t. Follow along in the story to learn about Eugenie, her love for sharks, and her other ocean discoveries.

Perfect for elementary classrooms, teachers, parents, or for your home library.

stars

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Eugenie Clark died February 25, 2015, in Sarasota, FL. She lived to be 92.

Here’s a wonderful memorial video below:

26 thoughts on “Eugenie Clark “The Shark Lady””

  1. Pingback: Eugenie Clark “The Shark Lady” – The Militant Negro™

  4. Nel

    She sets a great example! I said the same thing when I made my post about great white sharks. They get a band rep cause of their big teeth and movies like Jaws but it’s because of people like Eugenie that change the whole narrative and make us realize they’re more important that what we decide to see on the surface. I love those children’s books! I’ll have to pick me up some in the next year or so. 😉 Great post!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. She surely does! As a child it always seemed like sharks were just bad all around. It’s nice to get some legit information about them. You’ll love these books and they’re great for all ages. Enjoy. 💜💙💜

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  5. David R. Dowdy

    I’m OK at the beach until somebody says the S-word. At that point I become convinced that I’ll be shredded. That’s really too bad because until Jaws sharks weren’t that big of a deal. I remember seeing nurse sharks in clear water in the Philippines and we continued to snorkle. Nowadays, there’s shark sightings and reports at any given beach which is nothing less than fear mongering. I like Eugenie Clark’s respect for sharks. That was one classy lady!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Lol, exactly! I mean, you hear the stories about sharks attacking, but it’s actually quite rare. I think Jaws caused a lot of hype over sharks as well. They are such beautiful creatures, but yeah, still scary to me too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, David. 🙂 ❤

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      Reply
  6. starjustin

    Great informative post! I loved the tribute video. It’s always amazing when a person takes their life and makes it something extraordinary as Eugenie Clark did. A true gift to society and everyone that she touched.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. That’s so cool! I don’t even remember reading about her when I was younger. She did live a wonderful long life with many accomplishments. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. 🙂

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      Reply

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