The Shark King (Toon Books Level 3)

by R Kikuo Johnson (Author)

The Shark King (Toon Books Level 3)
Reading Level: K − 1st Grade

From the islands of Hawaii comes the electrifying tale of Nanaue, who has to balance his yearning for Dad's guidance with his desire for Mom's nurture.

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Publishers Weekly

Maritime cultures around the world have tales of otherworldly beings who take human spouses, some malevolent, some benevolent, and some too alien for human concepts to apply. In this variation, a Hawaiian woman named Kalie catches the eye of a handsome young man. It is only after their love produces the boy Nanaue that Kalie learns that her strange suitor is none other than the Shark King, a polymorphic being of great power. The Shark King, concerned for the future of his son, abandons his wife to build a refuge for Nanaue, leaving his wife with an unsatisfactory explanation and an odd but endearing boy. As Nanaue grows, he will be faced with a choice: remain with his human mother, isolated from society, or embrace his father's heritage and seek his fortunes under the sea. The Shark King is straightforward but engaging, led by Johnson's standout, classically influenced art. Ages 4-up. (Apr.)

Copyright 2012 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Gr 2-3--A retelling of a traditional Hawaiian tale about Kamohoalii, a shape-shifting shark god. A young woman named Kalei falls in love with a mysterious man who rescued her from a shark attack. They marry and move to a cottage by the sea where they met. The night before their child is born, the man tells her that he must go where he can "protect" his son, as it is not safe for him in the world. As he starts to grow scales and fins while escaping to the water, Kalei realizes that her husband is the Shark King. The baby is born, and Kalei names him Nanaue. He grows up to be a normal, happy child except for two things: he has a shark mouth growing out of his back and a voracious appetite that is never satisfied. Eventually, Nanaue is faced with danger in the world and must go to the one place where he can be safe--the sea. The story is broken up into easily digestible chapters. The muted primary color palette complements the simple text and the graphic art. There is a clear progression of the story that is facilitated by the page layout, but the fact that not every panel is displayed in the same format creates good variety. Kids will enjoy this simple yet mysterious story.--Rita Meade, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

Johnson's beautiful, graphic style recalls, of all things, Gilbert Hernandez' early Palomar comics, with zippy figures set against equatorial backgrounds distinguished by a few key features—a waterfall and fruit tree here, a tidal pool and coral reef there. The crafty panel layouts plunge into a couple of full-bleed splash pages with all the exhilaration of a high dive. While simple enough to keep brand-new and below-level readers in tow—and strengthen their vocabulary with contextual clues—this charming, high-energy Hawaiian fable will reveal deeper layers to more intuitive readers.
—Booklist (starred review)
Sharks, superpowers, and the comic-panel format will initially lure in readers, but the subtext of bullying, parental separation, and self-discovery will stay with them long afterward. The characters' rounded black outlines convey strong energy and emotion, while the panels and spreads feature a lush, colorful Hawaiian setting.
—The Horn Book (starred review)
This graphic novel, which works either as a read-aloud or as a step toward chapter books for young readers, offers a story especially appealing to boys who long to be just like Dad.
—The New York Times

R Kikuo Johnson
R. Kikuo Johnson grew up in Hawaii on the island of Maui. For generations, native Hawaiians have told tales of the shape-shifting shark god Kamohoalii; The Shark King is the artist's version of one such tale about the insatiable appetite of Kamohoalii's son, Nanaue. Kikuo's 2005 graphic novel, Night Fisher--also set in Hawaii--earned him both the Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award and a Harvey Award.

Kikuo spent his childhood exploring the rocky shore in front of his grandmother's house at low tide and diving with his older brother. Since moving to the mainland, Kikuo has discovered the joys of swimming in fresh water and currently lives in Brooklyn, New York, where he enjoys cooking, playing his ukulele, and riding his bike all over the city.
Classification
-
ISBN-13
9781935179160
Lexile Measure
410
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Toon Books
Publication date
April 20, 2012
Series
Toon Books Level Three
BISAC categories
JUV008000 - Juvenile Fiction | Comics & Graphic Novels | General
JUV043000 - Juvenile Fiction | Readers | Beginner
Library of Congress categories
United States
Folklore
Graphic novels
Comic books, strips, etc
Hawaii
Sharks
Human beings

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