Readers will be entertained by this picture book filled with puns and clever wit. Great white
Snarky Sharky feels bored, surrounded by the coral reef’s smaller, cheerful marine animals. He
declares himself “the greatest fish in this reef.” He thinks the dolphins chirp too much: “It’s like
they do it on porpoise. To annoy me.” The starfishes are “always missing the point,” while the
octopuses “literally suck!” and the clown fish “taste . . . funny.” Exasperated, the arrogant Shaky
Sharky declares, “This reef is beneath me,” and heads to the open ocean. But will he be happier
away from the friendly and lively reef? It quickly becomes evident that Snarky Sharky has not
considered what lies in the open ocean. The multimedia illustrations have an animated quality
that amplifies the story’s silliness, especially in the characters’ humorous facial expressions. A
funny, engaging read that teaches young readers the important lesson that there’s always a
bigger fish in the sea. –Booklist
A snide shark with an arrogant attitude disses the fishes.
Snarky Sharky has nothing but scorn for the other sea dwellers: the octopuses, who “literally suck,” the sea stars, who are “always missing the point,” and the irritatingly cheerful dolphins (“It’s like they do it on porpoise to annoy me”). When a clown fish tries to be BFF (“Best Fishies Forever”), Snarky jeers: “I’m on a sea food diet. And all I see right now…is you.” Snarky gobbles up the little fish only to spit it out: A clown fish naturally tastes “funny.” Concluding that “this reef is beneath me,” Snarky makes an “o-fish-al” exit, accompanied by cries of “Carpe diem” and “Seas the day” from the other wildlife. Smugly proclaiming, “I’m kind of a big deal,” Snarky’s overshadowed by a much larger maw in search of a “big meal.” Snarky’s last word? “Gulp.” Snarky’s small golden eyes are topped with fierce-looking eyebrows, but it’s the shark’s rows of seemingly endless pointed teeth in a sneering mouth that dominate. The reef inhabitants are candy colored and cartoonishly animated. The barrage of nonstop puns will have many older readers groaning, though they may go over some kids’ heads; at times, the tale feels a bit one-note. Still, younger audiences will appreciate the visual details and the exaggerated images. A few hints on the endpapers suggest that the huge final beast might be a megalodon.
Brutally punny text enlivened by goofy illustrations. (Picture book. 4-7)–Kirkus Reviews
QUICK VIEW
