I'm a Shark

PreS-Gr 1—This shark is not afraid of shots (delivered by a swordfish), scary movies (a color photo shows a young boy fishing in a pond), or even dinosaurs—if they were still around. Shark's weakness soon becomes evident when he mistakes multiple creatures and lures for spiders, of which he's terrified. He even claims that he can make a giant squid ink himself in fear, but a spider would make him "swim away as fast as my fins would take me. That's not scared—that's smart." Finally, the braggart asks his fish and crab friends what makes them afraid, and, when they say sharks, he ends the tale with, "That's silly." The oversize but spare drawings of a boastful young shark declaring his bravery guarantee giggles. This nonsensical story is a tad long, but it is a good jumping-off point for discussing fears.—Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA