Shark Wars

Gr 3—6—Gray, a young reef shark with an insatiable appetite and an unbridled sense of adventure, gets into countless scrapes that eventually get him banished from his home in E. J. Altbacker's novel (Razorbill, 2011). He and his best friend form their own tribe with other stray ocean dwellers, but discover that the other tribes can be fiercely territorial and cruel. As a result, Gray's group is forced into a perilous series of lies, shifting allegiances, and battles. While other tribes have their sights set on ocean domination, Gray and his friends just want peaceful coexistence. The story ends inconclusively, with Gray and his tribe having just won a major battle, but with the fate of the ocean still uncertain. Sequels are on the way. The undersea lingo that Altbacker invents feels forced. Also, the abundance of characters makes it difficult to keep the story straight at times. Joshua Swanson provides well-paced narration, and he performs satisfactory voices for most of the characters. Gray stands out, with his insouciant surfer dude tone. But there are also some cringe-worthy voices, particularly Wisco, a fish that talks in a maddening high-pitched warble. Not a necessary purchase.—Amy Holland, Irondequoit Public Library, Rochester, NY