Sobczak, Charles. Alligators, sharks and panthers; deadly encounters with Florida's top...

SOBCZAK, Charles. Alligators, sharks and panthers; deadly encounters with Florida's top predator--man. Indigo Press (2560 Sanibel Boulevard, Sanibel, FL 33957). 314p. illus. bibliog. index. c2006. 2006927945. $16.95. JSA

Charles Sobczak lives in a world filled with predators. Ironically, his

research surrounding the attacks of alligators, sharks and panthers has led him to question whether perhaps man is the greatest predator of all. He recounts the horrific stories of attacks made by the title's predators and he connects these tragedies with the larger tragedy of what man has done to the world he lives in through global warming, overpopulation, pandemics and war as well as his wanton destruction of anything that stands in his way. Sobczak's handling of the stories of the individual cases of attacks by alligators, panthers and sharks avoids the sensational for its own sake, though these are shocking events. Instead, he looks for the reasons behind the attacks. While sympathetic to the individual victims, Sobczak uses each story to teach readers something useful to protect themselves either from the specific danger of the predator or the greater danger of our behavior on the Earth. What these attacks tell us about the impact of man's encroachment on the territories of these predators, man's overreaction and mindless destruction of habitat, and the effect of this encroachment on man's ability to survive is the underlying message of the book. While this is a book about Florida, its message is much more universal, and it will appeal to YAs no matter where they live. Nola Theiss, Sanibel, FL

J--Recommend for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers.

S--Recommend for senior high school students.

A--Recommend for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries.