FICTION

Shark Kiss, Octopus Hug

by Lynn Rowe REED
illus. by Kevin Cornell. 32p. HarperCollins/Balzer & Bray. Jun. 2014. Tr $14.99. ISBN 9780062203205. LC 2012015323.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 2—While the title and cover art give the impression that what follows will be both a humorous and amorous tale, this aquatic adventure is neither. Even young readers will figure out the solution to Charlie Shark's dream of a kiss and Olivia Octopus's longing for a hug after the first page turn. It takes the dense duo a handful of harebrained schemes—including a poorly acted play, an unappreciated art show, and a cooking-contest flop—to figure out that they can simply hug and kiss each other. Cornell uses colorful illustrations and goofy expressions to give the many humans on the beach personality and buoy the floundering story line with their many activities, but ultimately this effort sinks.—Jenna Boles, Greene County Public Library, Beavercreek, OH
After seeing people hugging and kissing on the beach, shark Charlie wants a hug himself, and his good friend, octopus Olivia, wants a kiss. They try various goofy schemes to get their hug and kiss from beach-goers, but nothing works. As the title suggests, they finally realize they can hug and kiss each other. Cartoon-style illustrations emphasize the silliness of this lightweight tale.
Reviewed by Jenna Boles , Jun 01, 2014

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