Discovering Ancient Fossils: Sharks in Kansas STEM Picture Book
This review of Sharks in Kansas explores a beautifully illustrated STEM picture book about prehistoric marine fossils in Middle America.
Discover why this educational book is a good choice for young dinosaur and shark lovers.
🌊 Sharks in Kansas Book Review: Fascinating Ancient History for Shark Week and Beyond
When we think of prehistoric monsters, our minds usually jump straight to lumbering land dinosaurs.
But a fascinating new children’s book, Sharks in Kansas: Ancient Sea Life in Middle America, takes young readers on an incredible journey back in time to discover an unexpected piece of Earth’s history.
Living here in Southern California, I have found ancient shell fossils high up on our local trails in the Santa Ana Mountains.
It is a mind-blowing moment when you are standing on a dusty peak and realize that ocean water used to be that high!
This wonderful picture book takes that mind-bending concept to the next level.
It explores the fascinating reality that America’s heartland was once completely submerged under a massive prehistoric inland sea teeming with sharks.
🎨 Beautiful Illustrations Meet STEM Learning
This STEM book effortlessly combines education with pure entertainment.
The illustrations are beautiful, bursting with vibrant, detailed depictions of ancient marine life that will captivate any child who already has a love for dinosaurs, sharks and fossils.
The author does a masterful job of breaking down complex geological concepts, presenting them in a clear, narrative style that kids can grasp.
📚 Finding the Right Age Fit: Fun for Everyone
While the official recommendation for the book is for ages 4 to 8, it can have a broader appeal:
- Younger kids: Will be mesmerized by the exciting shark and fossil imagery.
- Older kids: Will understand the bigger concepts of fossil preservation and planetary changes, making it a great conversation starter.
- Adults: Are bound to learn a few surprising new facts about Middle America’s ancient history, too!
It is a good balance of picture book and reference tool.
Whether you are reading it aloud at bedtime or using it to supplement a homeschooling science lesson, it is bound to spark curiosity.
If you are looking for a unique, high-quality picture book that makes ancient history feel accessible and exciting, Sharks in Kansas is a wonderful addition to your family bookshelf!
Have your kids or grandkids ever found a fossil?
🦈 Sharks in Kansas
The Ancient Sea in the Middle of America
Random House
isbn 978-0593904718
Pub Date July 7, 2026
Synopsis
Sharks in Kansas?
Yes, it’s true!
Take a fascinating journey back 85 million years to a time when Kansas was submerged under a vast ocean teeming with incredible prehistoric sharks.
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.
But the world hasn’t always looked the way it does today.
Once upon a time, 85 million years ago, the middle of America was submerged in water–and incredible creatures roamed the sea.
On a typical afternoon, a small herd of Claosaurus munches on plants along the shoreline.
Above them, a Pteranodon glides across the sky in search of fish… when, suddenly, a Squalicorax grabs a young dinosaur with its bone-crunching bite.
Chomp!
From the flightless bird Hesperonis to the mighty Tylosaurus, here is a fascinating look at many kids’ favorite creatures and the mysteries of an ancient ocean.
Author
Melissa Stewart
Illustrator
Becca Stadtlander
Suggested Ages
4 to 8 years old
Preschool to 3rd Grade
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