Review: Boy vs. Shark

By Paul Gilligan

Toronto, CA: Tundra Books, 2024. Comic. 234 pages.

In 1975, 10-year-old Paul is enjoying a perfect summer with his best friend David Chu. David and Paul could hardly be more different -- David is a risk taker and Paul would rather stay at home and read comics -- but they still find ways to make their friendship work. Their comfortable harmony is thrown for a loop with the arrival of two looming villains -- Swain, the meanest kid in the neighborhood, and the movie Jaws. Swain starts hanging out with David, which makes Paul start to worry about his perceived wimpiness. In an effort to prove his bravery, he asks his dad to take him to see Jaws, the summer blockbuster horror movie that everyone is talking about, and it terrifies him. Suddenly, Paul is seeing the shark everywhere, and it starts bullying him into being more "macho" to fit in with Swain and David. Will he ever "man up"?

As a reader who was not alive in the summer of 1975, I was captivated by the setting that Paul Gilligan created and all of the specific details that make the era come to life. Beyond the incredible setting, Paul, David, and all their friends were realistic characters in this coming of age memoir. This story, mostly about friendship, growing up, and confronting toxic masculinity, will be popular with readers who like other graphic novel memoirs.

Comments

Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) by Pamela Espeland & Elizabeth Verdick

If there's one book today's kids need to read, it is Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) . The authors provide a fun format for teaching etiquette to children. They discuss proper behavior at home, at school, at other people's homes and in public places. The information is completely up-to-date with cellphone manners and netiquette included. Fun, cartoony illustrations are on practically every page giving the book great visual appeal. This book is perfect for boys and girls in the fourth grade or older. WARNING: Bodily functions are discussed.

Funny Farm by Mark Teague 2009

There are things I liked about Mark Teague's newest book, Funny Farm , and things I didn't like. Where should I start? I'll do the "didn'ts" first. The illustrations show animals personified. Well, some of the animals are. The main characters, Edward, and his farm family relatives, all dogs, are humanized. They stand upright, do farm chores, eat at a table, wear clothes, knit (yes, with paws) and sleep in beds. Most everybody else on and around the farm, who are also animals, act like animals. They are outside, roll in mud, live in the barn, and require care from their owners. It struck me the most on the page spread where there are pigs playing in puddle in the rain and Edward, a black and white boxer, watches from inside the house. I thought "You're a dog! Go play with them!" But, alas, he can't, seeing as how he goes through his entire visit to the farm wearing a suit and red bow tie. Another picture that bothered me was the maple syrup pa...

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin Illustrated by Leslie Evans Charlesburg; 2009; unpaged Faces of the Moon is a short nonfiction book that describes the different phases of the moon and why the moon appears like it does on certain nights. This book is short and sweet so even the youngest of moon lovers will enjoy it. The layout is simplistic and easy to follow. I don’t know much about the moon so I found it very interesting.

Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Search This Blog