Shawn Loves Sharks

4.5 stars What an exciting story about friendship and sea animals. This book feels so real to me that I can see many children loving it. Shawn is obsessed with sharks. Shawn has watched and memorized many shark movies and he has over a hundred shark books at home. Shawn even opens up his mouth wide, like a shark, when he eats. (Not a pleasant sight but pretty extreme measures, I believe.) He loves to chase after his peers at recess, pretending to be a shark, as they scream and run away. He especially likes chasing Stacy because she screams the loudest. When his teacher announces that each child was going to research a predator, Shawn knew that he would research a shark. His teacher then has each student draw a slip of paper from a bowl. On that slip of paper has the name of the predator they would then research. Would Shawn get the shark? No, Stacy drew the shark slip of paper. The girl that Shawn used to chase. It’s an interesting turn-of-events as Shawn and Stacy research their animals and then head out for recess. I think this is a fun, entertaining story. It’s educational as the children learn about the animals. I liked the emotions and the facial expressions in the book. I feel it’s a book worth checking out.

Our family is a big fan of author Curtis Manley's debut THE SUMMER NICK TAUGHT HIS CATS TO READ, illustrated by Kate Berube, so we had high hopes for SHAWN LOVES SHARKS and it did not disappoint. The first illustration of Shawn inside a shark is so cool and we're all smitten with Shawn's cat, perpetually encased in a fish costume. We all know kids who become obsessed with a topic and we really enjoyed how that was encapsulated into this story of eventual friendship.

Very cute book! Great illustrations.

The way we handle frustration and disappointment tells a lot about a person. Do we give up and pout, proceed with passive aggression, attempt to coerce a change, or discover something new and amazing? The proverbial lemonade from lemons. With a soft touch, Curtis Manley explores obsessions, bullying, frustration, and friendship. Shawn doesn't just love sharks. He's obsessed with them. Tracy Subisak's ingenious illustrations of Shawn's shark costume, his mimicry of shark actions, and his pleasure at chasing others on the playground, especially Stacy, help demonstrate Shawn's passion. for sharks Tracy added her own touch of humor with an usually costumed sidekick. She also created a beautifully diverse cast. When Shawn, learns about Predator Day, he knew he would draw the shark. But he selected the leopard seal and no amount of wheedling will change the result. In a nice twist, Shawn discovers not only that he admires seals, but he loves them, too. He also learns what is important in a friendship. This is a great book with many layers, both in the text and the illustrations. In addition to providing fun information about sharks and seals, it is a great starting point for discussing friendships and bullying. With a gentle humor, visual interest, and fun which stand up to repeated readings.