Perception drives apprehension
Steven Spielberg’s Jaws helped embed fear of sharks in older generations. Today, YouTube documentaries and news clips often show bloody shark attacks, reinforcing the idea that sharks are only threats and not part of a fragile ocean system. Yet perception changes with the stories we tell. When children learn that sharks are regulators — keeping fish populations balanced and reefs healthy — and see rays as diverse, graceful species rather than “flat fish,” their apprehension turns into curiosity and care.
Our two magazines build this new narrative through simple, child-friendly stories. The shark issue shows sharks as calm, purposeful animals, supported by Dan Abel’s experience, with clear illustrations and side boxes explaining “top predators” and “ocean regulators.”
The cover of the magazine on Sharks. Photo © Tamba Édition
The ray’s magazine acts like a small field guide, introducing different ray shapes and behaviours with colourful images and short captions. Interactive elements—drawing prompts, quizzes, and questions—turn reading into conversation at home and in school.
The cover of the magazine on rays. Photo © Tamba Édition
So far, the magazines have reached about 900 students aged 8–12 along the Beninese coast, but real reach is larger, extending into homes, fishing boats, and markets. We already see shifts: children calling sharks “ocean keepers” or “bosses of the sea,” and rays “dancers of the deep,” while parents report new questions about fishing, protected areas, and plastic pollution. Perception is changing, and apprehension is softening.
We plan to print more copies, distribute them to coastal schools and youth clubs, and translate key sections into French and local languages. Teacher guides and activity sheets will turn the magazines into classroom tools, with “Shark and Ray Days” and school assemblies inviting families and leaders into the conversation.
With the support of Tamba Éditions, these magazines have come to reality and become more than education tools, they are messengers of a new relationship between people and the ocean.