What do you think?
Rate this book
The Shark God
Rafe Martin and David Shannon reunite in this folktale interpretation of a dramatic flood myth set amidst the unmatched beauty of the Hawaiian Islands.
In a country whose ruler is cruel and whose people are hardened, two children remain warm-hearted and exuberant. One day after freeing a shark trapped in the shallows, the children are so excited that they touch the King's forbidden drum. They are thrown into prison, and no one will listen to their parents' pleas for mercy. So, at great risk, they go to the Shark God himself, and he takes retribution, causing a great flood that leaves only the good family behind, and clears the way for a better, kinder future.
In a country whose ruler is cruel and whose people are hardened, two children remain warm-hearted and exuberant. One day after freeing a shark trapped in the shallows, the children are so excited that they touch the King's forbidden drum. They are thrown into prison, and no one will listen to their parents' pleas for mercy. So, at great risk, they go to the Shark God himself, and he takes retribution, causing a great flood that leaves only the good family behind, and clears the way for a better, kinder future.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2001
2 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
Rafe Martin
41 books46 followersRafe Martin is an award-winning author and storyteller, as well as a lay Zen teacher in the Harada-Yasutani koan line. He is founding teacher of Endless Path Zendo, Rochester, NY.
He is the recipient of the prestigious Empire State Award for the body of his work, as well as multiple American Library Association Notable Book Awards and Parent's Choice Gold Awards. He has been featured at such storytelling events as the Joseph Campbell Festival of Myth and Story, The Sierra Storytelling Festival, and the National Storytelling Festival. He is the father of two grown children and lives with his wife, Rose, in Rochester, NY.
He is the recipient of the prestigious Empire State Award for the body of his work, as well as multiple American Library Association Notable Book Awards and Parent's Choice Gold Awards. He has been featured at such storytelling events as the Joseph Campbell Festival of Myth and Story, The Sierra Storytelling Festival, and the National Storytelling Festival. He is the father of two grown children and lives with his wife, Rose, in Rochester, NY.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 12, 2010
Storyline: Interesting, will hold student's interest. Setting contributes to the plot.
Author: While is not of Hawaiian descent has included author's notes on the research of this story and why he has made changes to the original tale to fit the needs of young children. (the author also wrote Rough Faced Girl, one of my favorite Cinderella themed stories).
Illustrations: Fitting of setting and culture, though I would add that the little girl is topless. This should not be a problem, but be aware of your audience. Depending on the age group (sadly the older students) this may illicit giggles.
Text Accuracy: Culture is clearly identified. Words from culture presented within context. Setting fits the culture.
I picked this out to read to my son because he is interested in sharks and anything mean. It was nice to read a story where the mean shark saves the family.
The story takes place in Hawaii were two children (brother and sister) find a shark tangled in a net. They seek the village for help and since they can't find their parents, turn to others who just scorn them. They save the shark on their own and on the way back home they come across the King's drum. Though it is forbidden for anyone but the King to play it, the children want to celebrate so badly, that they just barely touch the drum. The King had been watching and instead of warning the children, he waits and lets them play it so that he can catch them and sentence them to death in three days. The parents throw themselves at his feet and beg him to remember that they are just children, but the King is hard of heart. The parents turn to the other villagers and find that they are just as hard as the King, so the parents turn to the Shark God where no one else has ever gone willingly. Going into the cavern the Shark God appears and nearly eats the parents, but they beg for him to at least listen to their story. He does and he tells them to build a canoe and load it with all they might need for a long trip. In three days the canoe is done and a large storm comes bringing waves crashing into the village and destroying the place where the children are held prisoners. Their door breaks off and the children float on top of it. As they float a shark comes and pushes them to their parents' canoe and off they go to find a new home where there is a King who is kind.
Author: While is not of Hawaiian descent has included author's notes on the research of this story and why he has made changes to the original tale to fit the needs of young children. (the author also wrote Rough Faced Girl, one of my favorite Cinderella themed stories).
Illustrations: Fitting of setting and culture, though I would add that the little girl is topless. This should not be a problem, but be aware of your audience. Depending on the age group (sadly the older students) this may illicit giggles.
Text Accuracy: Culture is clearly identified. Words from culture presented within context. Setting fits the culture.
I picked this out to read to my son because he is interested in sharks and anything mean. It was nice to read a story where the mean shark saves the family.
The story takes place in Hawaii were two children (brother and sister) find a shark tangled in a net. They seek the village for help and since they can't find their parents, turn to others who just scorn them. They save the shark on their own and on the way back home they come across the King's drum. Though it is forbidden for anyone but the King to play it, the children want to celebrate so badly, that they just barely touch the drum. The King had been watching and instead of warning the children, he waits and lets them play it so that he can catch them and sentence them to death in three days. The parents throw themselves at his feet and beg him to remember that they are just children, but the King is hard of heart. The parents turn to the other villagers and find that they are just as hard as the King, so the parents turn to the Shark God where no one else has ever gone willingly. Going into the cavern the Shark God appears and nearly eats the parents, but they beg for him to at least listen to their story. He does and he tells them to build a canoe and load it with all they might need for a long trip. In three days the canoe is done and a large storm comes bringing waves crashing into the village and destroying the place where the children are held prisoners. Their door breaks off and the children float on top of it. As they float a shark comes and pushes them to their parents' canoe and off they go to find a new home where there is a King who is kind.
August 18, 2008
Rafe Martin has retold a Hawaiian legend about 2 children who, upon receiving no help from the adults, try to help a shark that is tangled in a fishing net themselves. Later, when the children are in danger, the Shark God comes to their aid. I love David Shannon's pictures, especially the one where the children skip jubilantly down the beach after successfully freeing the shark. An author note at the end explains the differences between Martin's version and the original Hawaiian tale. Recommended!
September 7, 2012
This book has a very good story line for kids to say interested in. It is a tale that teaches them life lessons and about other cultures. It will show them how their are other cultures in this world and they are not the same as ours. I feel it also shows them about following rules and how important family really is. This is not a funny book but is very interesting.
June 6, 2021
I loved this story. This story tells kids to share. If other touch your things or play with it nothing will happen. My mother says that no body will eat others things.
August 22, 2020
Mads (age 7) and I much prefer this to the other Martin/Shannon book we read this month, Rough-Face Girl, though I think this says more about our sensibilities than the actual content of the books. I enjoy Martin's interpretation of this story, crafted expressly for children, its emphasis on connection and empathy--with both the animal world and our fellow human beings. Ultimately, islanders are punished for being callous, while the children (and their parents) are delivered from this devastation because of their benevolence and care, because in the beginning of the story, the children rescue a shark entangled in fishing wire. Mads and I discussed whether or not sharks might actually have their own god, and what other animals' gods might look like and be like, if so. We discussed whether or not we would rescue a shark, even if it might mean danger to ourselves (and I was reminded of videos of dogs tangled and lashing out with fright at their would-be rescuers). The illustrations within are vivid and colorful, though some of the images of the sharks struck me as a little goofy. And, maybe there could've been more sharks, different types of sharks?
August 6, 2018
Two children find a shark in trouble and try to get people from their village to help save the shark. When no one wants to help, they go and free the shark themselves. In the heat of their triumph, they innocently play with a sacred drum. The cruel king of the village sees them and sentences them to a severe punishment. Their parents beg but no one listens to them.
They go to the shark god who sends a terrible storm on the island to teach the village a person while freeing the children and sending the family to a different more humane island/village.
Interesting legend, certainly makes me think of sharks in a new light. It also gives insight into the way people from the South Pacific view creatures. Whenever we think of sharks it's mostly in a negative light. In this legend, the shark is the good guy and it's the humans that are acting like animals.
They go to the shark god who sends a terrible storm on the island to teach the village a person while freeing the children and sending the family to a different more humane island/village.
Interesting legend, certainly makes me think of sharks in a new light. It also gives insight into the way people from the South Pacific view creatures. Whenever we think of sharks it's mostly in a negative light. In this legend, the shark is the good guy and it's the humans that are acting like animals.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2020
Martin does a good job in making this Polynesian story accessible to children. I like how he decided having a family, including parents, dealing with the wrath of the people and the help of the shark god rather than just a priest (kahuna) would make the story more interesting and meaningful. It does. Still, I enjoy the illustrations more than the story. Maybe the comparison is unfair, but after the charm of Disney’s Maui, the shark god just seems not as impressive.
April 24, 2019
This story is about two children getting captured when they touch a sacred drum on the island they live on and their parents must go to a mystical creature to help them get their children back. In the end, the shark god helps get the children back and restores peaceful order to the once chaotic island.
November 15, 2017
Desperate, Concerned, Powerful
October 7, 2019
This story really reminded me of Moana. Even the illustrations were similar.
April 3, 2020
Shark, Kindness, Hawaiian, Drum
June 18, 2023
wow! this was just excellent! i know little me would've read this story many times if i had had a copy of it then. so glad i stumbled across this on the internet archive.
March 2, 2016
Title: The Shark God
Author: Rafe Martin
Illustrator: David Shannon
Genre: Myth
Theme(s): Hawaii, Animals, Rulers, Gods/goddesses
Opening Line/sentence:
It was long, long ago when two children, a brother and sister, tried to find someone to help them save a shark.
Brief Book Summary:
A brother and sister free a shark from a tangled net only to be jailed when celebrating using the king’s drum. The mother and father plead for their children with no success when they finally approach the Shark God. This god threatens to eat them up, but after hearing the parents’ plea he changes his mind. The mom and dad prepare a canoe after giving sacrifices to the god when a massive cloud approached the island. The cloud caused a great storm washing away all of the island’s houses and hard-hearted people. As the family remains safe in the canoe the king’s drum washes up and family grab ahold of is as the venture to find an island with kinder inhabitants
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
The Horn Book
On an island ruled by an unfeeling despot, two siblings rescue a rope-entangled shark. When the children violate the king's rules, however, they are condemned to death. In desperation, their parents seek out the fearsome shark god. Shannon's dark palette is well suited to the tone, lightening effectively as the family sails to a new and more inviting land. Based on a Hawaiian legend, this is a real find for story hours and individual readers.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Beverley Fahey (Children's Literature)
On a small tropical island two children set a shark free after it becomes entangled in a net. Elated by their act of kindness, the children dare to touch the ceremonial drum forbidden to all but the king. For this they are sentenced to die. Pleas for mercy to the king from their parents and the villagers go unanswered. In desperation they go to the cave of the great Shark God. Looming over them, menacing and cruel, he remembers the children's generosity and devises a plan to set them free and punish the hard-hearted king and his people. A perfect blend of story and illustration makes this a winner. Martin has loosely based his story on a Hawaiian legend and has created a powerful and fearsome Shark God. Author's notes credit his sources and indicate his own inventions. Full-page paintings bring to life the terrible creature, in sharp contrast to the lush tropical setting. A palette of rich hues combined with unique light and perspectives make these illustrations worthy of Caldecott consideration.
Response to Two Professional Reviews:
The Horn Book focuses mainly on just retelling the story, but the second review vividly describes the contrast between the setting and events of the story. I agree with the second review’s comment on the illustrations, they use bold tones that capture Hawaii’s tropical setting, but invoke a sense of fear when presenting the fierceness of the Shark God. This story is a unique blend of Hawaiian culture with a mythical creature that focuses on saving a family.
Evaluation of Literary Elements:
As the characters move through the book the plot follows almost as if the story is a wave, swiftly escalating, crashing with a giant storm, and then breaking into a quiet movement as the family drifts off to a new land. The characters, although pretty static, highlight themes such as family love and sacrifice, and respect for spiritual rituals and gods. The setting captures the tropical feel the local village, but the illustrations are what make this a great story. Their vibrant nature with bold yellow, red, and blue hues draw the reader into the action, while the dark ominous shadows highlight the fear of the storm and the shark god. The painted pictures feature the landscapes of the village and depict the clothing of everyday life there. Overall these illustrations really set the tone of the story.
Consideration of Instructional Application:
This book is a refreshing break from the traditional Greek and Roman myths and brings opportunity for diversity into a classroom library. This book can be incorporated into a lesson on different cultures featuring the unique clothes that the characters wear and the traditions associated with the red drum. Also this book, depending on the age of the group, could be used to discuss the cultivation of gods and other religious figures in stories that the people pay homage to. This book might serve as a good basis for comparing and contrasting different civilizations and their customs. For a younger group of children, this book might serve well for practicing cause and effect (the children touch the drum so the children are sentenced to death) or for practicing predictions (the parents appeal to the shark god, how will the shark god react?). This book would also be great for an art study of contrasting light with dark hues using acrylic paints.
Author: Rafe Martin
Illustrator: David Shannon
Genre: Myth
Theme(s): Hawaii, Animals, Rulers, Gods/goddesses
Opening Line/sentence:
It was long, long ago when two children, a brother and sister, tried to find someone to help them save a shark.
Brief Book Summary:
A brother and sister free a shark from a tangled net only to be jailed when celebrating using the king’s drum. The mother and father plead for their children with no success when they finally approach the Shark God. This god threatens to eat them up, but after hearing the parents’ plea he changes his mind. The mom and dad prepare a canoe after giving sacrifices to the god when a massive cloud approached the island. The cloud caused a great storm washing away all of the island’s houses and hard-hearted people. As the family remains safe in the canoe the king’s drum washes up and family grab ahold of is as the venture to find an island with kinder inhabitants
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
The Horn Book
On an island ruled by an unfeeling despot, two siblings rescue a rope-entangled shark. When the children violate the king's rules, however, they are condemned to death. In desperation, their parents seek out the fearsome shark god. Shannon's dark palette is well suited to the tone, lightening effectively as the family sails to a new and more inviting land. Based on a Hawaiian legend, this is a real find for story hours and individual readers.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Beverley Fahey (Children's Literature)
On a small tropical island two children set a shark free after it becomes entangled in a net. Elated by their act of kindness, the children dare to touch the ceremonial drum forbidden to all but the king. For this they are sentenced to die. Pleas for mercy to the king from their parents and the villagers go unanswered. In desperation they go to the cave of the great Shark God. Looming over them, menacing and cruel, he remembers the children's generosity and devises a plan to set them free and punish the hard-hearted king and his people. A perfect blend of story and illustration makes this a winner. Martin has loosely based his story on a Hawaiian legend and has created a powerful and fearsome Shark God. Author's notes credit his sources and indicate his own inventions. Full-page paintings bring to life the terrible creature, in sharp contrast to the lush tropical setting. A palette of rich hues combined with unique light and perspectives make these illustrations worthy of Caldecott consideration.
Response to Two Professional Reviews:
The Horn Book focuses mainly on just retelling the story, but the second review vividly describes the contrast between the setting and events of the story. I agree with the second review’s comment on the illustrations, they use bold tones that capture Hawaii’s tropical setting, but invoke a sense of fear when presenting the fierceness of the Shark God. This story is a unique blend of Hawaiian culture with a mythical creature that focuses on saving a family.
Evaluation of Literary Elements:
As the characters move through the book the plot follows almost as if the story is a wave, swiftly escalating, crashing with a giant storm, and then breaking into a quiet movement as the family drifts off to a new land. The characters, although pretty static, highlight themes such as family love and sacrifice, and respect for spiritual rituals and gods. The setting captures the tropical feel the local village, but the illustrations are what make this a great story. Their vibrant nature with bold yellow, red, and blue hues draw the reader into the action, while the dark ominous shadows highlight the fear of the storm and the shark god. The painted pictures feature the landscapes of the village and depict the clothing of everyday life there. Overall these illustrations really set the tone of the story.
Consideration of Instructional Application:
This book is a refreshing break from the traditional Greek and Roman myths and brings opportunity for diversity into a classroom library. This book can be incorporated into a lesson on different cultures featuring the unique clothes that the characters wear and the traditions associated with the red drum. Also this book, depending on the age of the group, could be used to discuss the cultivation of gods and other religious figures in stories that the people pay homage to. This book might serve as a good basis for comparing and contrasting different civilizations and their customs. For a younger group of children, this book might serve well for practicing cause and effect (the children touch the drum so the children are sentenced to death) or for practicing predictions (the parents appeal to the shark god, how will the shark god react?). This book would also be great for an art study of contrasting light with dark hues using acrylic paints.
Read
September 29, 2014This piece of traditional literature was about a family from an island nation. The children discover a shark trapped in the remains of a fishing net and ask the other villagers to aid them in helping rescue it. Unfortunately non of the villagers will help the children so they take it upon themselves to save the shark and after doing so are so overcome pride that they touch the drum of the king, a forbidden act. As punishment the children are sentenced to death and taken away to the temple. The parents plead with the king to release their children but are turned away, and having no other option they seek the help of the Shark God in a nearby cave. The Shark God agrees to help the family and ultimately the children are saved and the village is destroyed save for the family, who set out to join a village on a neighboring island. I thought that this book would be good to teach children that they may not always be immediately thanked for taking the initiative. After reading the book I think that it provides a good example of how good deeds may not lead to immediate good results but in the end they can. This story could be a good tool to use in the classroom to teach children that they sometimes have to take the initiative and get things done without the help of adults. It can also be used to teach impulse control, the children touched something they shouldn't have and while the punishment for breaking the rule was harsh and ultimately unfair, there were consequences for their actions.
Read
November 21, 2016The Shark God is a tall-tale that portrays a story about karma. Two young children saved a shark in a net and set it free. They were so happy that they wanted to bang on the King's drum. The King saw and told the children's parents that they must die in three days for justice. The parents tried to persuade them but nothing worked. Their last hope was to talk to the scary, giant Shark God. The parents told the shark god about their children and the shark god told them exactly what to do. The shark god flooded the island and freed the children from the prison. The family was free from all the hard-hearted people and started sailing to a new island with kinder-hearted people. The family was so grateful and even were able to locate the King's drum after the storm. The theme of this story discusses how you should always do the right or good thing. No matter what people say, someone else will be grateful for your actions. What goes around, comes around. Because the children saved the shark, the shark god saved the children. I would have the students conduct a reader's theater and incorporate props that the story discusses. I want the students to understand and comprehend the meaning of this tall-tale. It is an important life lesson that will never be useless.
January 17, 2013
Mommy's review from 8/13/11 -
If there's any recent book that reminds me not to judge a book by its cover it's this one right here. I found this at the library, picked it up, looked at the cover and title, and set it back down. I walked around, saw it again and did the same thing again. I still didn't flip through it for whatever reason. I walked around again. And I saw it again. I don't know what kept bringing me back to it but as much as I didn't like the title and cover it kept getting my attention. So I picked it up again and took it home with us.
We finally read it last night before bed and wow. I can't honestly say it's the best book we've ever encountered but it's damn good. It's so good that I'm going to find Hawaiian Legends Of Ghosts And Ghost Gods to get the full and complete, and unchanged, story.
I definitely recommend. It's different and it's engaging and it's just all in all a great story!
If there's any recent book that reminds me not to judge a book by its cover it's this one right here. I found this at the library, picked it up, looked at the cover and title, and set it back down. I walked around, saw it again and did the same thing again. I still didn't flip through it for whatever reason. I walked around again. And I saw it again. I don't know what kept bringing me back to it but as much as I didn't like the title and cover it kept getting my attention. So I picked it up again and took it home with us.
We finally read it last night before bed and wow. I can't honestly say it's the best book we've ever encountered but it's damn good. It's so good that I'm going to find Hawaiian Legends Of Ghosts And Ghost Gods to get the full and complete, and unchanged, story.
I definitely recommend. It's different and it's engaging and it's just all in all a great story!
June 26, 2013
Sharks are scary.... Right? But maybe not as scary as the king of the island. After two children touch his drum he imprisons them and sentences them to die in three days. The distraught parents try to find someone to who them but when they fail to move the people of the island to action with their tale they turn to the only other possible source of help. The shark god. This is a traditional story of Hawaiian mythology adapted a retold by Rafe Martin. The story really flows well from one page to the next and from one problem to the next. It is also an engaging story for the reader and is filled with unexpected heroes and surprising villains which makes the story unique. The artwork is beautifully done and blends different colors together to create an atmosphere that reflects the emotions in the story... Darker colors for fear at meeting the shark god, brighter colors as the children run happily around. This story would be good for children in grades K-3.
March 13, 2017
Based on a traditional Hawaiian folktale of two children who save the life of a shark, the children subsequently get into trouble with the king by touching his drum. Touching the king's drum is an offense leading to death so the children are to be put to death. The children's parents plead with the king who doesn't listen so the parents go to the shark god to beg for the lives of their children. He creates a storm which wipes out everyone and everything except the children. They are reunited with their parents and go to live on another, more friendly island.
January 6, 2013
I read the author's note and now I'm interested in Hawaiian mythology. I have students that really want more and more cultural stories. This book is a good one, and if I can find more Hawaiian stories that will add nicely to my collection of folklore. This is the type of book I would use to teach "folklore" elements with using the characteristics that I typically include in my upper grade lessons.
June 25, 2013
Such an excellent kids' book, very unusual in both subject matter and tone. I wish so badly there was more out there like this for the boys! A simple story with scary elements and a lovely redemption. Very well done.
February 25, 2013
Very majestic. This book is great for children interested in mythology. This book is about a king that turned into a shark to protect his land. This book is great to read to 4th grade students because younger students may get scared at the images.
March 25, 2014
Rich illustrations and a story many are unlikely to have heard before. The Shark God would be an interesting read to children with a love of mythology, the ocean, and could make for an interesting companion read to other flood stories!
September 19, 2008
beautiful illustrations, but not very well written.
April 8, 2011
This a decent book about two parents who asked the shark god for help. Good book to read when children are learning about legends.
February 20, 2012
It was just okay.
January 27, 2013
Read this book 3 times it is a very interesting story i dont believe in a shark god though but i believe in the TRUE GOD
February 16, 2016
myth, morals, shark, siblings, family
Curriculum connection- learning stories of different cultures.
Curriculum connection- learning stories of different cultures.
March 25, 2016
This Hawaiian legend is a great supplement!
Read
July 27, 2016myths; legends; character; values; mercy
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews