"The Shark Rider is one of the best yarns you'll ever read about the ocean, marine life, and a group of intrepid adventurous teens. They face exciting ocean challenges while working alongside a wide variety of sea creatures with amazing abilities. In fact, when I was given a pre-publication copy by Dr. Prager after a talk, a young teen tried to wrestle it from me saying, 'I need it. I can't wait for it to be published.' He was right. Don't miss it and the continuing exploits of Tristan Hunt and his friends."—Jerry Schubel, Ph.D., President and CEO, Aquarium of the Pacific
"Tristan Hunt is back in this exciting sequel to The Shark Whisperer (2014), where the clumsy kid learned that he was meant to be a hero to endangered sea creatures. ... This is a great follow-up to Prager's first Sea Guardians novel, sure to hook more fans."—Booklist
"Tristan, with his talent for conversing with sharks, and his marine biologist creator, author Ellen Prager, use this fascinating plot to explore ecological avenues, proving that even kids can have an awesome skill that can save the planet."—Foreword Reviews
"What do you get when you mix teenagers who can communicate with fish, a shrimp with anger management issues, a shark who can’t stand the sight of blood, and an evil villain? You get the second book in Dr. Ellen Prager’s amazingly imaginative, tautly written, just-slightly-magical, fancifully fun series. Warning: You’re likely to learn a lot too." —Carl Safina, ocean scientist and author of Nina Delmar, The Great Whale Rescue and Beyond Words , and What Animals Think and Feel
"[Tristan] and the multispecies supporting cast—notably a 5-inch mantis shrimp with an 'anger management issue' and built-in clubs powerful enough to sink a submarine—are memorably diverse and colorful. ... a seaworthy sequel to Shark Whisperer (2014)."—Kirkus Reviews
"Earn your sea legs and go on an exciting eco-adventure with The Shark Rider. It's fun, funny, informative, and my favorite part is where the characters must outrun a hurricane. And where do they get their information to track the storm - The Weather Channel, of course!" —Stephanie Abrams, On-Camera Meteorologist for The Weather Channel
"The Shark Whisperer, Dr. Ellen Prager’s first middle grade book, followed by her second, The Shark Rider are part of the Tristan Hunt and Sea Guardians series. The ocean adventure series follows Tristan and his friends as they arrive at summer camp, where they develop unusual, but exciting ocean powers. ... This fun series is written by oceanographer and researcher, Dr. Ellen Prager who is passionate about ocean science, and hopes to educate middle graders about current ocean issues, as well as encourage young readers to get involved in the preservation of ocean life. The series meets the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Science. A free downloadable Educator’s Guide with language arts and science activities is available."—Current: The Journal of Marine Education, Vol. 29, No. 2, June 2015
"Prager’s knowledge of the ocean is extensive and very interesting. Kids that love the water, critters, and having fun will love The Shark Rider, book #2 in a 5 book series. Warning: Reading this series will give you a concern for the world, especially the oceans and the its inhabitants."—KidLit Reviews
Reviews for The Shark Whisperer, Book One
"...a splashy startup with a promising premise." — Kirkus Reviews
"Those who know Prager well wouldn’t be astounded to find her delving into the realm of ocean science and youth fiction. Throughout her career, Prager always made it a priority to involve young minds." — Miami Herald
"Author Dr. Ellen Prager’s expertise in marine science and ocean advocacy brings the series to life with vivid and accurate descriptions of marine species and the threats they face, woven among plenty of action and humor." — Mission Blue
"No need to whisper: I very much like, like, like this highly readable, highly unusual way of looking at the ocean.” — Carl Safina, author of Song for the Blue Ocean and host of PBS Saving the Ocean
"The Shark Whisperer is packed with science laced with humor and adventure—an underwater Harry Potter, sure to inspire readers to want to dive in and experience the ocean for themselves." — Sylvia A. Earle, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence
2015-01-20
Mysterious fish kills lead a team of young Sea Guardians to the British Virgin Islands for a round of investigative dives, brushes with disaster and, yes, shark riding.Newly promoted to "Snapper," Tristan, who can talk to sharks and rays, joins four teammates with similarly unusual powers for a second summer of training. Hardly has the course work begun, though, than worrisome reports send the Snappers to an idyllic archipelago. There, along with tours of magnificent reefs and other local wonders, a series of odd accidents, a scary encounter with a pair of remote-controlled bull sharks and captivity on the private island of an unscrupulous pharmaceutical tycoon ensue. Despite a questionable decision to have some characters, human and otherwise, speak in caricatured dialect ("Watch out for thems, they'll stick ya bads"), Prager concocts an absorbing yarn in which vivid descriptions of marine beauties and rousing feats of derring-do mingle. Likewise, though Tristan's klutziness out of the water is oversold, he and the multispecies supporting cast—notably a 5-inch mantis shrimp with an "anger management issue" and built-in clubs powerful enough to sink a submarine—are memorably diverse and colorful. A nighttime break-in (at the edge of a hurricane, for added drama) neatly saves both captives and environment while leaving the bad guys all in jail or flight. A few leaky seams aside, a seaworthy sequel to Shark Whisperer (2014). (maps, afterword) (Adventure. 10-12)
