Sharks in Kansas
The Ancient Sea in the Middle of America
by Melissa Stewart
illus by Becca Stadtlander
Random House Studio, 2026
for ages 6 to 10
ISBN 978–0‑59390–471‑8
Purchase this book at your local independent bookseller or Amazon.com.
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 a watery world called the Western Interior Seaway. At the water’s surface, mighty mosasaurs attacked flightless birds bobbing on the waves. Deeper down, turtles the size of a small car fed on fish and ammonites. But the most ferocious hunters were the sharks. More than a dozen species cruised through the ancient sea in search of prey, and when they spotted a target … Chomp!
Journey into the past for a fascinating look at the incredible cast of creatures that once lived where we live now.
From the Book
Honors and Awards
- Bank Street College Best Children’s Bk of the Year, Science
Reviews
“Rich with color and detail, Bond’s paintings offer plenty for children to see while they learn the facts about butterflies and the accessible message about conservation.” (Booklist)
Behind the Book
“As I was writing the book Mega-Predators of the Past, I was astonished to learn about Archelon — a prehistoric sea turtle the size of a small car. But what was even more amazing than the turtle’s supersize is where it lived — smack dab in the middle of the North American continent.
“Up until that moment, I’d never heard of the Western Interior Seaway, and I had no idea that the land we now call the Great Plains had once been covered by an ancient ocean. I had to know more, and once I discovered the incredible cast of creatures that called the seaway home (including a dozen different kinds of sharks), I knew I had to write a book about how the seaway formed and how it changed over time. “
by Melissa Stewart
illus by Becca Stadtlander
Random House Studio, 2026
for ages 6 to 10
ISBN 978–0‑59390–471‑8
Purchase this book at your local independent bookseller or Amazon.com.