An Appetite For Laughter

Sometimes when a book ends, it's not the final conclusion.  Oh, no . . . there is more story to tell.  The characters have a lot more to say.  They have a lot more to do.  When we are introduced to them, it's just a beginning full of promise.

As the final pages and the closing endpapers, are disclosed in Misunderstood Shark (Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., April 24, 2018) readers feel disbelief as they try to digest what has happened.  The unknown fate of the fabulous Underwater World with Bob leaves us (and him) in the dark.  The companion title and sequel Misunderstood Shark Friends Don't Eat Friends (Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., January 29, 2019) written by Ame Dyckman with illustrations by Scott Magoon makes everything less murky as we peer into the depths of the water. 

Last time, on
Underwater World
with Bob . . .

Shark ATE ME!
Get me
OUT OF HERE!

"That's strange!
I can HEAR Bob.
But I can't SEE Bob."

As we barely get the page turned Shark has ejected Bob, a jellyfish, out of his stomach and the show does indeed try to go on.  The problem is Bob having a tizzy about being consumed by Shark.  When Shark realizes people are watching him, again, he utters his now famous defense.

"You MISUNDERSTOOD!"

Apparently, he was giving Bob an up-close-and-personal view of his inner self.  Bob's not buying it until his crew reminds him of his show.  We are then privy to one of his fun facts about sharks.  We go quickly from bones to cartilage to boogers. Bob is still not placated.  He WAS eaten.  Shark demands proof.

Suddenly the video feed is stopped.  Shark has expelled something else.  It's gross!  It's Bob's glasses.  Bob with dignity and an air of righteousness relates another fun fact about shark stomachs. (Who knew?)

Bob issues an ultimatum, followed a third fun fact.  Shark is in tears.  An argument about the definition of friendship has Shark clearly upset and he leaves.  When one of the crew remarks on his state of being, Bob panics.  They must STOP Shark!  Bob continually shares fun facts as they locate Shark.

There is a misunderstanding about Shark being in his cave pouting and a deeper discussion about the characteristics of friendship.  In an al-arm-ing turn of events everyone, Bob, Shark, the crew, and the people are horrified.  One watery resident is not.  Will this episode be a win for friendship?  Will the show continue?  Will anything change?  There are so many questions.  Stay tuned.

That's a WRAP!


No matter how many times you read this title, it is guaranteed you will be giggling and guffawing.  This is what happens when words and combinations of words are written by someone who has comedy running in their writer veins. Ame Dyckman is one of those people. Her sense of pacing is pure perfection.

The conversations between Bob and Shark along with the side commentary by the recording crew, other dwellers in their watery realm plus the people watching completely engage readers from endpapers to endpapers and everywhere in-between.  It's as if we are a part of the story.  With Shark in complete denial about who he is and what he is capable of doing, we are constantly laughing.  Here is a passage.

He's in his Sulking Grotto!

"Go 'way!"

THIS is his feeding frenzy? SUGAR?

You'll get cavities, Shark!

"Actually, shark teeth are coated in

fluoride.  Sharks don't get cavities!"

I'm so jealous.

As soon as you open the almost-matching dust jacket and book case, you'll feel the corners of your mouth curving into a smile.  From the back, left, to the front the recording and directing crew, and the tiny orange fish are aghast at what Shark has done and is doing.  How can he be grinning so broadly when he's eaten Bob?  Understandably Bob is not happy.  The X-RAY cord on the front runs to the back with the ISBN acting as a power source.  There is a clever touch to the title text with the wave and the shape of "A" in SHARK.

The canvas extends to both flap edges.  At the bottom of the back flap we see a new character who plays a part in this new volume.  On the front flap conversations are already beginning with comedic commentary.  Instead of wearing swimming gear as they did in the first book, Ame Dyckman and Scott Magoon are wearing boating head gear in their portraits on the back flap.  

Scott Magoon uses every inch of space to start and end the narrative along with his pictorial interpretations beginning and concluding with the endpapers.  His full-color palette with vibrant colors and bold sweeping lines invite reader participation.  Altering his point-of-view brings us further into the tale of Bob and Shark.  On the verso and title pages, text is held in place by Shark's body, the clapperboard and the squid's hat band.  

To add to the back and forth conversations and arguments of Bob and Shark small images are grouped on single pages before broadening into a double-page picture for emphasis.  At one point Scott Magoon adds a diagram/cut-away of a shark's body with Shark's changes which heightens the hilarity.  The variations in the background colors tend to determine mood and upcoming shifts in the narrative.

One of my many favorite illustrations is on a single page.  The background has gone a darker shade of ghastly green.  We are shown a close-up view of the scene.  Shark has turned green and is trying to hold his mouth closed.  His eyes are yellow.  The octopus, wide-eyed and frantic, holding the microphone boom and wearing headphones is yelling.

CUT THE VIDEO!

HE'S GONNA---

We know what's going to happen, but we have no idea why or what the results will be.  We must turn the page.

If you like laughter, books about sharks and other sea creatures, and titles about the ups and downs (and eating) of friends, Misunderstood Shark Friends Don't Eat Friends written by Ame Dyckman with illustrations by Scott Magoon is an excellent selection for you.  This is without a doubt a read-aloud winner.  You're sure to have requests for "read it again."  I highly recommend this title for your personal and professional book collections.  Be sure to follow the link to my blog post about the first book.  I include other titles you could use for a "swimmingly-super" story time.

To learn more about Ame Dyckman and Scott Magoon and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Both Ame and Scott have accounts on Twitter.  You can find Scott on Instagram.  You'll want to visit the publisher's website for some fun additional activities.  Ame Dyckman was interviewed this past November at Writers' Rumpus.

RUN! SWIM! For Your Lives!

Having survived more years than we can imagine, they have our deepest respect and for some of us, our fear.  They are serious apex predators of the sea.  To utter their name at an ocean beach full of swimmers is certain to have people scurrying in total panic.  In reality we harm more of them in any given year than they harm us.

Sharks have inspired blockbuster movies, week-long television series and bestselling books.  One of the newest titles with these fascinating fish as a central character is Misunderstood Shark (Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., April 24, 2018) written by Ame Dyckman with illustrations by Scott Magoon.  By the time you finish reading this book your respect for sharks will be strengthened as you roar with laughter.

Here we go,

Underwater World with Bob

broadcasting live

in 3 . . . 2 . . . 

. . . 1 . . .

Hey! Who did this?!

Bob barely has his first few sentences finished when a grinning shark bursts into view.  Needless to say several of the crew, two squid, are ready to run.  Bob, a jellyfish, reminds Shark not to eat a fish, a tiny orange one in his grasp, in front of the people watching.

When Shark realizes people can see him, his sweet reply is contrary to what they and everyone on the watery set believe to be true.

You misunderstood!

He says he was only showing the fish his new tooth.  Trying to recapture the audience's attention Bob entertains us with a 

Fun Fact 

about sharks and their teeth.  Continuing to speak Bob thinks he is chatting with Shark but the wily predator is after something, a baby seal, swimming on the surface. 

A similar scenario ensues with readers learning another informative item about sharks and their appetites.  Just when Bob (and dare I say readers) is beginning to trust Shark, he takes off in hot pursuit of an enticing scent.  As Shark speeds toward 

BLOOD

Bob decides to give us another interesting detail about sharks and their sense of smell.

Shark is closing in on the source of the blood.  People are scattering across the sand, leaving their belongings behind.  Shark is despondent at this treatment.  He was only trying to help.  Bob and the two squid are offering comfort (and comedy) at this current situation.  Will an act of compassion change the dynamics of Underwater World with Bob?  Stay tuned.

When it comes to writing humor Ame Dyckman is masterful.  By telling the tale through dialogue, it's as if we are viewing this entire show in real life.  Even before the narrative starts, the comments of the television crew are sure to have readers smiling.  They continue to offer tidbits of opinions heightening the humor.

By using repeating phrases in each situation Ame invites audience participation.  As we join in Bob's and Shark's refrains, we have no idea what Shark will say next, but when he does answer it's so ridiculous we can't help but laugh.  This rhythm sets us up grandly for the surprising conclusion.  Here is a passage.  

"Fine, Shark.  Maybe you weren't going to eat that fish . . ."

"Shark?"

"Where's Shark?"

"Oh, no." 

As soon as you open the dust jacket you know you are in for a delightful treat.  The image stretches from flap edge to flap edge.  On the back flap, Ame and Scott wearing appropriate swimming gear for above and below the water look as though they are characters in the book.  A group of green and blue fish swims below.  On the front flap Bob and the two squid offer comments intermingled with the blurb.  

Looking at the front we already know things might not go as Bob plans.  His look and the expression on Shark's face are not quite the same.  The design cleverly places Shark's fin in place for the letter "a".  To the left, on the back, the octopus, the cameraman, the two squid, the tiny orange fish and the baby seal are watching.  The ISBN is placed on the clapperboard.  The sea creatures, Ame and Scott are varnished on metallic blue hues.  On the book case all of the text has been removed except for the clapperboard.  The ISBN is replaced with the title of the show. 

The opening and closing endpapers are part of the story.  The squid, Bob and Shark offer conversation on both sets.  One features the sea in daylight and the other as darkness comes.  On the title and verso pages, the dedications and publication information are placed inside air bubbles.  One of the squid is holding the clapperboard with the title text (slightly alerted) on it.

All of the illustrations are bold and bright spanning single or double pages.  Sometimes Scott Magoon places a series of illustrations on a single page to indicate the passage of time and to accentuate pacing.  There is even a dramatic vertical, double-page picture.  To give us an indication of the importance of a particular point in the story the point-of-view will be switched; when Shark first sniffs the blood.

The layout of the elements is excellent; when Shark first appears during the show, when Bob is following Shark as he swims toward the baby seal, or when Shark starts to cry at the beach.  Readers will be looking for all the extra details like the tattoo on Shark's fin.  And the facial expressions on all the characters are outstanding.

One of my many favorite illustrations is a two-page image.  It's a scene with Shark sobbing at the people running away from him.  A first aid box with three bandages falling out of it is in the water next to Shark.  Beneath him Bob is talking to listeners (readers) about how likely it is to be bitten by a shark as opposed to being bitten by a person.  A crab, clam and starfish are watching.  On the right the two squid, one holding the clapperboard and the other the microphone boom pole offer opinions.  The first is wearing sunglasses on its forehead.  The other is wearing earphones.  These characters are all placed in an underwater seascape.

For a story time featuring humor or sharks, Misunderstood Shark written by Ame Dyckman with illustrations by Scott Magoon is a surefire winner.  This duo's combination of words and artwork will have readers laughing like loons.  For an interesting and funny shark theme I would pair it with Swimming With Sharks: The Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark written by Heather Lang and illustrated by Jordi Solano, Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist written by Jess Keating with illustrations by Marta Alvarez Miguens and DUDE! written by Aaron Reynolds with illustrations by Dan Santat.  You will want this title on your professional and personal bookshelves.

To learn more about both Ame Dyckman and Scott Magoon and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Scott has loads of extras about this book on his site.  Both Ame and Scott have Twitter accounts.  You can find Scott on Pinterest and Instagram.  The cover for this title was revealed by Scholastic Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher, on his blog, Watch. Connect. Read.  He chats with both Ame and Scott.  Next you'll want to head over to the publisher's website to see what they offer regarding this title for readers.  Enjoy the videos.

UPDATE:  There's lots of fin-tastic fun at the OOM On Our Minds, Scholastic's blog with Ame and Scott, July 23, 2018. Ame Dyckman is interviewed at SHARKS 4 KIDS, July 27, 2018.