Review by Booklist Review
Bobby's birthday is coming up, and he has an intricate plan for acquiring the birthday present of his dreams: 1: Convince parents and 2: Get shark. But when the big day comes . . . instead of a shark, he finds an adorable puppy. Bobby is bitter and disappointed: Shark lovers cannot be converted to dog lovers. EVER! He has a glimmer of hope when the puppy immediately starts wreaking havoc, barking, chewing, and making a mess worthy of an ocean predator. A shark was looking better and better. This sly, inverted logic builds until, in a dramatic moment, Bobby changes his mind about the puppy and realizes that shark lovers can love lots of amazing things. While adding plenty of clever sharky hints, Mantle employs low perspectives and wide angles and a poster that looks a lot like the one for Jaws but keeps things cheery with a beachy palette of greeny blues and sandy yellows. Fun for fans of Nick Sharratt's Shark in the Park! (2002).--Willey, Paula Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Ferry and Mantle offer a story and a character that readers will embrace. Bobby LOVES sharks and has a plan to show his parents that he deserves one for his birthday. The plan is simple: "STEP 1: Convince parents and STEP 2: Get shark." Unfortunately, his parents have a different idea. The rest of the story focuses on how Bobby handles the alternative "shark" that is his birthday gift. The illustrations lay a solid foundation and create excellent foreshadowing. The text flows nicely and is great for either a read-aloud or a read-alone. The pace will be attractive to younger readers and listeners, and the narrative presents opportunities for teaching vocabulary. The protagonist is immediately likable and engaging, even after his original scheme falls flat. This would be a good book for fans of Kelly Bennett's Not Norman (Candlewick, 2005), as both convey lessons on gratitude and making the best of situations. VERDICT A delightful addition that will become a storytime favorite.-Shannan Hicks, J.S. Clark Elementary School Library, LA © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Bobby's obsession with sharks prompts a daring birthday plan. "Step 1: Convince parents. Step 2: Get shark." When they present a puppy instead, Bobby is rather displeased--that is, until the puppy's mischievous personality surprises him. Kids will have fun finding the sharks cleverly hidden in the illustrations of this funny, engaging twist on the traditional new-puppy tale. (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
