Shark Princess

by Nidhi Chanani, Nidhi Chanani (Illustrator)

Overview

A new early reader graphic novel series from the critically acclaimed creator of Pashmina, perfect for fans of Narwhal and Jelly.

Meet Kitana—a Shark Princess and the first of her kind. Her allergy-ridden, best friend, Mack, wants to be one too, but he worries that his sharp teeth and big sneezes make him too dangerous to be a princess.

With Kitana's help, Mack realizes his unique shine. When Mack puts on his crown for the first time, these Shark Princesses are ready to explore the ocean and embark on a fintastic adventure!

Nidhi Chanani's signature artwork brings this underwater series to life in a spunky tale about friendship and redefining who and what a princess can be.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593464601
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	09/13/2022
Series:	Shark Princess , #1
Pages:	80
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	GN420L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 7 Years

About the Author

Nidhi Chanani likes to dream kind and creative dreams. She's the author of the graphic novel Pashmina and the bilingual board book Shubh Raatri Dost/Good Night Friend, as well as the illustrator of the picture book I Will Be Fierce. Nidhi draws and dreams in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, child, and cat. Find more of her work at everydayloveart.com.

Editorial Reviews

An Amazon Best Book of the Month!

"A finny, funny foray that encourages inclusivity even when it comes to play."
—Kirkus Reviews

"The story is overt in its message of self-love, and the digitally rendered artwork is clean and simple with calming washes of ocean blue and scattered bursts of fun color. A wholesome addition to the growing collection of early graphic novels for beginning readers."
—Booklist

“Who gets to be a princess? That’s the crux of this firmly inclusive, emotionally generous graphic novel by Chanani. Readers are immersed in an undersea cartoon world where Kitana, a whale shark sporting a seashell-and-starfish crown, is the self-declared 'first shark princess.' Mack worries that [his] dangerous teeth and severe allergies are instant disqualifiers [to be a princess], but it’s his realization that expression and identity aren’t about rules or permission that make this series starter sparkle.” 
—Publishers Weekly

"This sweet early reader comic can be read simply as an enjoyable story, or it can be a catalyst for discussion with younger readers about their sense of self. This engaging story with bright and dynamic artwork can be enjoyed by beginning readers, who will devour the fun story and laugh at the jokes.
—School Library Journal

"This first installment in Chanani’s comics series introduces sharks Kitana and Mack, best friends enjoying an undersea day together. [Chanani] has a lot of fun with language, tossing in puns (“she shore would”) and coining fishy lingo (“somefish”) for the early-chapter-book crowd. The story is gentle, but the theme—each of us gets to decide what to label ourselves—is deep."
—Horn Book

From the Publisher

2022-08-17
Chanani’s latest graphic novel sees shark princesses of different species (and genders) having adventures in a sunken wreck.

Sporting an elaborate crown of shells and sea stars, slow-moving whale shark Kitana (the self-declared “first and only SHARK PRINCESS!”) rejects smaller but toothier chum Mack’s initial eager invitations to play games—but the prospect of exploring a wreck is a different matter. And when a sparkly golden crown turns up inside the hulk, it only makes sense to declare Mack a princess, too. Mack doesn’t think so, being, embarrassingly, allergic to the smell of blood and dead fish, but Kitana will have none of that: “Princesses can be allergic!” And when Mack still expresses doubts: “Our crowns. Our story.” So it is that the two chime “SHARK PRINCESSES!” with a tail slap and swim into a briefly dangerous—though entertaining and amusing—adventure (with more to come, Chanani promises). Kramer uses a rainbow palette of bright pastels to color the sequential seascapes, and a drawing lesson joins a “hide and sea” game and facts about whale sharks and shipwrecks to close.

A finny, funny foray that encourages inclusivity even when it comes to play. (Graphic novel. 7-9)

Kirkus Reviews