Surviving the Wild: Sunny the Shark
#1 of 3 in Surviving the Wild Series
on Goodreads (174)
What’s inside...
Sunny the Shark is a fearsome oceanic whitetip shark who searches for her next meal with a school of pilot fish that clean her in exchange for food crumbs. However, when Sunny mistakenly eats a plastic ring that gets caught around her fin, she struggles to hunt. As winter approaches, Sunny must find a way to break free from the plastic and find food to survive.
Discussion points
How do you think Sunny the Shark felt when she was trying to find her way home? Can you relate to her feelings?
What lessons did Sunny learn during her adventure in the wild?
What would you have done if you were in Sunny’s place?
How did Sunny's friends help her? Why is it important to have friends?
What are some ways we can help protect sharks like Sunny in real life?
Tip: Role play these questions
Use emotive questions to connect your child’s own experiences with Sunny’s adventures, fostering empathy and understanding.
Discuss the problem-solving aspects of the story to enhance critical thinking skills.
Encourage your child to think about the moral lessons in the story and how they can apply these lessons in their own life.
Highlight the role of friendship and community in the story to stress the importance of teamwork and cooperation.
Talk about wildlife conservation to broaden the discussion from the book to real-world applications and responsibility towards nature.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Courage and Facing Fears
Explanation: In 'Surviving the Wild: Sunny the Shark', Sunny faces many challenges in the ocean but learns to overcome her fears with bravery.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this lesson by tackling new or intimidating situations in their daily lives with courage, whether it's trying out a new activity or making new friends.
Example Lesson: Empathy and Understanding Others
Explanation: Sunny encounters various sea creatures with different perspectives and problems. She learns to understand and empathize with their situations.
Real-World Application: This encourages children to be considerate and empathetic towards their peers and others, understanding that everyone has their own unique feelings and challenges.
Example Lesson: Importance of Teamwork
Explanation: Throughout her journey, Sunny learns that working together with others often leads to success, showing how collaboration resolves issues faster and more effectively.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to collaborate with siblings, friends, and classmates in group tasks or projects, understanding that teamwork can lead to greater achievements.
Example Lesson: Adaptability
Explanation: Sunny learns to adapt to changing environments and situations, showing flexibility.
Real-World Application: This teaches children the importance of being flexible and adapting to changes whether in their routines, learning environments, or social settings.