Nick Sharratt is a children’s author and artist who has written and illustrated close to 300 books; his illustrations are known all over the world. (His work is split between producing his own picture books – around 40 – and illustrating for numerous highly regarded authors including favourites by Julia Donaldson and Jeremy Strong as well as the much-loved Tracy Beaker series by Jacqueline Wilson). 
Find more about the author and his book here: Nick Sharratt
Shark in the park is a story about a boy named (Timothy Pope) who is testing out his new toy telescope in the park. He looks up, he looks down, he looks right and then left with his telescope and then he thinks he sees a shark fin ….could it be a shark? Or … ?
This is an enjoyable and suspenseful story with a lot of repetition and rhyme. It is constructed so that pages have a circular opening that mimics what the boy would see in the telescope. Then, when the page is turned, the reality is revealed! (In the hands of a gifted presenter who would pause at the proper time and have the children guessing, this book will keep children riveted!)
This book can also help young children learn directions (such as right and left). There is a lot of of rhyme and repetition, as mentioned earlier, which provides pace for reading aloud, opportunities for children to apply their phonics skills as well as the possibility of children joining in.
Children could make wonderful telescopes after reading
or say what they would see through their telescopes
What can you see through your telescope?
or even play a guessing game (alternating the pictures behind the circle)
And why not draw Timothy’s dad along with Nick Sharratt (second part of the video clip)?
Shark in the Park with Nick Sharratt + Draw-along
I hope you enjoy this delightful book!
