Boy vs. shark

Paul and David are best friends, and have been basically since birth. Outgoing, daring David often makes risky choices and frequently ends up in the hospital. Paul, however, is quick to shy away from trouble and prefers the safety of reading comic books. Despite their different personalities, they complement each other well. That is, until David starts hanging out with the local bully, Swain, who brags about getting into trouble and likes to give Paul a hard time. When Swain goads them into watching Jaws, Paul is reluctant at first, but afraid of losing David, he watches it--and is terrified. Not only does Paul start to see the famous shark everywhere, but he has imagined conversations with it, in which the shark scolds him for not being "macho" enough. Though Paul doesn't feel good about it, he goes along with David and Swain's schemes, until a moment of crisis when he finds out what bravery really means. Gilligan powerfully explores shifting middle-grade friendship, exquisitely illustrating feelings of fear, anxiety, and joy in simple but expressive cartoon artwork. The shark in particular nicely embodies Paul's seemingly insurmountable anxiety. Elementary- and middle-schoolers facing down changing friendship dynamics will surely relate to Paul's journey to self-confidence. Hand to fans of Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham's Real Friends series.

Gr 4 Up--Gilligan's middle grade graphic novel takes readers back to the gilded 1970s when kids were allowed to roam the streets unsupervised and untethered to electronic devices. Ten-year-old Paul and his lifelong best friend David are crossing over from children who play outside all day to kids who hang out at the mall. The most popular movie in the country is the terrifying flick Jaws, and all the cool kids are going to see it. However, Paul would rather stay home and read comic books and watch The Sonny & Cher Show. When Swain, the meanest kid in the neighborhood, starts hanging around, Paul finds himself in a panic over potentially losing his best friend and forces himself to go to see Jaws as proof of his bravery and maturity. The shark terrorizes Paul's imagination and bullies him into thinking he needs to "man up." Readers will be relieved at the choices Paul makes as he demonstrates that good kids can make bad choices, but learn from them rather than repeat them. The illustrations represent the personalities of the characters perfectly, with David and his friends depicted as boys next door and Swain as a browbeating villain. Readers unfamiliar with the era are treated to a "Time Capsule" glossary at the end. VERDICT This hilarious look into life as a kid in the summer of 1975 is a must-have for any and all middle grade libraries.--Kim Gardner

A graphic memoir presenting a humorously disarming look at machismo and personal responsibility. It's 1975, and 10-year-old Paul is enjoying a summer vacation with his Fantastic Four comics, military toys, and best friend, David Chu. The harmony is disrupted when Swain, an older boy, wins over both David and Bernie Dias, the youngest kid in the group. "Playing with" friends becomes the more mature "hanging out." The guys are also fixated on the new blockbuster horror movie,Jaws. But the film traumatizes Paul to the point that he has conversations with an imaginary shark who pressures him into expressing the most toxic version of masculinity. Irish American Paul's parents mostly talk over him, leaving him to his internal monologues, particularly whenever his dad tries to teach him about cars. Between the shark and Swain's influence, Paul briefly becomes a more callous version of himself, dispensing insults, throwing crabapples, and going along with Swain's shoplifting dare. Paul is usually so gentle that he prefers to play baseball with a tennis ball; he ultimately tunes into his inner compass and resists being a jerk for the sake of impressing others. Elaine, Bernie's sister, punctures male egoism on the spot, modeling maturity, and Paul and his friends ultimately demonstrate genuine growth. The simple but dramatically expressive artwork plays to Gilligan's strengths with deadpan humor, and the text and illustrations work in harmony to convey complex insights and feelings with clarity. An authentic and funny look at masculinity and growing pains that resonates across the decades. (1975 Time Capsule)(Graphic memoir. 10-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.