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The Shark King: Toon Books Level 3
Meet Nanaue, a boy craving to be who he truly is.
From the islands of Hawaii comes the electrifying tale of Nanaue, who has to balance his yearning for Dad’s guidance with his desire for Mom’s nurture. Award-winning cartoonist R. Kikuo Johnson transports young readers to the lush tropical shores of his native Hawaii. Fluent or not, young readers will be thrilled when they experience the transformative powers of a stirring literary work.
From the islands of Hawaii comes the electrifying tale of Nanaue, who has to balance his yearning for Dad’s guidance with his desire for Mom’s nurture. Award-winning cartoonist R. Kikuo Johnson transports young readers to the lush tropical shores of his native Hawaii. Fluent or not, young readers will be thrilled when they experience the transformative powers of a stirring literary work.
40 pages, Paperback
First published April 10, 2012
5 people are currently reading
332 people want to read
About the author
R. Kikuo Johnson
15 books53 followersR. Kikuo Johnson grew up in Hawaii on the island of Maui. For generations, native Hawaiians have told tales of the shape-shifting shark god Kamohaoali'i; The Shark King is the artist's version of one such tale about the insatiable appetite of Kamohoali'i's son, Nanaue. Kikuo's 2005 graphic novel Night Fisher - also set in Hawaii - earned him both a Harvey Award and the Russ Manning Award for best new cartoonist. He spent his childhood exploring the rocky shore at low tide in front of his grandmother's house and diving with his older brother. Since moving to the mainland, Kikuo has discovered the joys of swimming in fresh water and currently lives in Brooklyn, New York, where he enjoys cooking, playing his ukulele, and riding his bike all over the city.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
July 11, 2024
Beautiful retelling of this Hawaiian legend. When I went to Hawaii as a teenager my family there told me that there were certain beaches that you should not go to at night because they belonged to Kāmohoaliʻi, the shark god. They were very serious about this, so I just thanked them and told them that I would listen to their advice.
July 25, 2021
Short and sweet! Great art, though the story doesn't exactly end. My kid was sad there wasn't a LOT more shark king in the book.
March 18, 2020
This is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel of a Hawaiian legend. I can't quite put my finger on it, but the illustration has something of a classic quality to it. The story is lighthearted and easy to read, so it is perfect for kids.
June 11, 2024
Before reviewing The Shark King (an early reader 2012 graphic novel retelling of the story of Nanaue and his father, the shark-god Kamohoali'i, both figures from Native Hawaiian mythology and folklore), I do need to mention that while author and illustrator R. Kikuo Johnson was born in and grew up on Maui, he does not identify as being Native Hawaiian (and that therefore The Shark King is also not to be considered as OwnVoices, but that thankfully, it equally does not appear as though Johnson actually wants his intended audience, does not want his young readers to consider The Shark King as being OwnVoices either).
But after doing a bit of online research on Nanaue (as well as on his father, on the Hawaiian shark deity Kamohoali'i), it does become pretty obvious that Johnson's interpretation (both textual and visual) in The Shark King majorly tones down the traditional violence of Nanaue's story, where Nanaue's insatiable appetite for flesh compels him to dupe and devour passing fishermen and not as is the case in The Shark King to just go after their catches of fish and how in some variations, Nanaue is ultimately butchered and cooked by villagers in retribution. And although the traditional, while the original violence of Nanaue's story might be potentially off-putting for and in a graphic novel geared towards a young and emerging reader audience (probably meant for ages five or six to around nine), sorry, but personally speaking I definitely do tend to think that for folklore retellings which are not meant to be modernised, which are meant to be traditional, yes, these should probably be presented in their original form (or at least as close, as much as possible). So indeed, for me and in my humble opinion, The Shark King should therefore be rendered closer to the original Native Hawaiian tale and with Nanaue being depicted by R. Kikuo Johnson as consuming not only fish but also human flesh, and in particular so because Johnson is not Native Hawaiian so that he toning down Nanaue's tale on his own volition for The Shark King might perhaps be considered a bit like cultural appropriation, not to mention that at the very least Johnson should really provide an author's note in The Shark King pointing out that Nanaue originally was depicted as being cannibalistic (and just to also point out that many young readers are actually pretty much fine with gruesome and gory folktales and mythology, that in fact it is often parents, teachers etc. who tend to freak out at violence in traditional folklore, and that for the intended audience, if The Shark King were more violent and as such closer to the original Native Hawaiian incarnation of Nanaue, this would likely not pose all too many problems and issues).
Now the story itself for The Shark King as it is presented by R. Kikuo Johnson with both his text and equally so with his artwork is nicely, is delightfully engaging, is simply told and briskly paced (combining action and also a sense of mystery), showing both verbally and visually how while out hunting for sea snails, Nanaue's mother Kalei is rescued by a handsome and muscular stranger who turns out to be the Shark King, an ocean deity who can morph into any animal. Kalei and Kamohoali'i fall in love, marry and have a son, Nanaue (and yes, there are picture of a pregnant Kalei in The Shark King) who is born with a set of snapping jaws protruding from his back and with a constant desire and hunger for fish, fish and more fish. In danger from the village fishermen for constantly stealing their catches, Nanaue faces a choice, either stay with his mother on land or take refuge beneath the ocean waves (with at the end of The Shark King Nanaue leaping into the sea to escape his pursuers and being reunited with his father who had left Kalei shortly before Nanaue's birth to build an ocean sanctuary for his son).
Finally, just to point out that textually speaking, The Shark King is pretty simplistic (but which kind of makes sense considering that the story, that The Shark King is meant for recently independent readers and that a dense narrative might become a bit frustrating and verbally overwhelming for the intended audience), however, with R. Kikuo Johnson's accompanying images not just mirroring, not just visually reflecting his narrative but also visually expanding on what is textually being rather sparsely provided, and with Johnson using a vintage comic book style for The Shark King that is not only colourful but also avoids the visual freneticism so common in many current graphic novels, giving a nicely traditional visual feel for The Shark King that I certainly do very much value and appreciate, so that my general reading and visual reaction for The Shark King is definitely solidly four stars. But well, considering the absence of an author's note for The Shark King and that I do (as already mentioned above) have some folkloric (and cultural) authenticity issues with R. Kikuo Johnson not making Nanaue into a man-eater, into a cannibal in The Shark King (and as is the case in the traditional Hawaiian myth and lore regarding Nanaue), yes, my personal rating will need to be lowered from four to only three stars (but I will say that R. Kikuo Johnson not including the traditional cannibalism angle in The Shark King does make both his text and his illustrations less potentially gory, less violent, although both my adult self and my inner child still rather miss and would prefer this).
But after doing a bit of online research on Nanaue (as well as on his father, on the Hawaiian shark deity Kamohoali'i), it does become pretty obvious that Johnson's interpretation (both textual and visual) in The Shark King majorly tones down the traditional violence of Nanaue's story, where Nanaue's insatiable appetite for flesh compels him to dupe and devour passing fishermen and not as is the case in The Shark King to just go after their catches of fish and how in some variations, Nanaue is ultimately butchered and cooked by villagers in retribution. And although the traditional, while the original violence of Nanaue's story might be potentially off-putting for and in a graphic novel geared towards a young and emerging reader audience (probably meant for ages five or six to around nine), sorry, but personally speaking I definitely do tend to think that for folklore retellings which are not meant to be modernised, which are meant to be traditional, yes, these should probably be presented in their original form (or at least as close, as much as possible). So indeed, for me and in my humble opinion, The Shark King should therefore be rendered closer to the original Native Hawaiian tale and with Nanaue being depicted by R. Kikuo Johnson as consuming not only fish but also human flesh, and in particular so because Johnson is not Native Hawaiian so that he toning down Nanaue's tale on his own volition for The Shark King might perhaps be considered a bit like cultural appropriation, not to mention that at the very least Johnson should really provide an author's note in The Shark King pointing out that Nanaue originally was depicted as being cannibalistic (and just to also point out that many young readers are actually pretty much fine with gruesome and gory folktales and mythology, that in fact it is often parents, teachers etc. who tend to freak out at violence in traditional folklore, and that for the intended audience, if The Shark King were more violent and as such closer to the original Native Hawaiian incarnation of Nanaue, this would likely not pose all too many problems and issues).
Now the story itself for The Shark King as it is presented by R. Kikuo Johnson with both his text and equally so with his artwork is nicely, is delightfully engaging, is simply told and briskly paced (combining action and also a sense of mystery), showing both verbally and visually how while out hunting for sea snails, Nanaue's mother Kalei is rescued by a handsome and muscular stranger who turns out to be the Shark King, an ocean deity who can morph into any animal. Kalei and Kamohoali'i fall in love, marry and have a son, Nanaue (and yes, there are picture of a pregnant Kalei in The Shark King) who is born with a set of snapping jaws protruding from his back and with a constant desire and hunger for fish, fish and more fish. In danger from the village fishermen for constantly stealing their catches, Nanaue faces a choice, either stay with his mother on land or take refuge beneath the ocean waves (with at the end of The Shark King Nanaue leaping into the sea to escape his pursuers and being reunited with his father who had left Kalei shortly before Nanaue's birth to build an ocean sanctuary for his son).
Finally, just to point out that textually speaking, The Shark King is pretty simplistic (but which kind of makes sense considering that the story, that The Shark King is meant for recently independent readers and that a dense narrative might become a bit frustrating and verbally overwhelming for the intended audience), however, with R. Kikuo Johnson's accompanying images not just mirroring, not just visually reflecting his narrative but also visually expanding on what is textually being rather sparsely provided, and with Johnson using a vintage comic book style for The Shark King that is not only colourful but also avoids the visual freneticism so common in many current graphic novels, giving a nicely traditional visual feel for The Shark King that I certainly do very much value and appreciate, so that my general reading and visual reaction for The Shark King is definitely solidly four stars. But well, considering the absence of an author's note for The Shark King and that I do (as already mentioned above) have some folkloric (and cultural) authenticity issues with R. Kikuo Johnson not making Nanaue into a man-eater, into a cannibal in The Shark King (and as is the case in the traditional Hawaiian myth and lore regarding Nanaue), yes, my personal rating will need to be lowered from four to only three stars (but I will say that R. Kikuo Johnson not including the traditional cannibalism angle in The Shark King does make both his text and his illustrations less potentially gory, less violent, although both my adult self and my inner child still rather miss and would prefer this).
July 23, 2018
A young boy tests his mother's patience as he discovers his true identity. A graphic novel for young'uns that's based on a Hawaiian folktale. It's a pretty unique story you can be sure most kids haven't heard before.
January 11, 2020
Pretty cool. A juvenile graphic novel retelling of a Hawaiian folk tale. I love that it doesn't cop out will simple answers and easy divisions between good and evil and right and wrong.
February 24, 2018
Folktale
Target Audience: Grades 1-2
Summary:
Main Characters: Nanaue (half god/half mortal boy); Kalei (Nanaue's mother); Shark King (Nanaue's father)
Setting: Hawaii, long ago.
Narrative: Nanaue, son of a mortal woman and the Shark King, is born with an extra shark mouth on his back. As Nanaue grows more hungry for adventure (and fish!), his parents try to protect him from suspicious and frightened humans.
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The sequence of this graphic novel would be very easy to follow for a beginning reader. The language used is simple but not repetitive. And the drawings are attractive, colorful, and easy to interpret.
The story left me with a lot of questions about the legend of the Shark King and Nanaue. That could be a positive if it encourages students to hunt for more books on Hawaiian legends or it could make the book unsatisfying.
Personal critique:
I would recommend this book to students. It should be a fun introduction to folktales and legends that aren't traditional European fairy stories. Also, the graphic novel format is accessible to a lot of different readers.
Illustrations:
Color illustrations
Notable awards:
Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature for Children (2012)
Lesson Planning:
This graphic novel would work well for a unit on legend and folktales as well as learning more about the culture of Hawaii.
Target Audience: Grades 1-2
Summary:
Main Characters: Nanaue (half god/half mortal boy); Kalei (Nanaue's mother); Shark King (Nanaue's father)
Setting: Hawaii, long ago.
Narrative: Nanaue, son of a mortal woman and the Shark King, is born with an extra shark mouth on his back. As Nanaue grows more hungry for adventure (and fish!), his parents try to protect him from suspicious and frightened humans.
Strengths & Weaknesses:
The sequence of this graphic novel would be very easy to follow for a beginning reader. The language used is simple but not repetitive. And the drawings are attractive, colorful, and easy to interpret.
The story left me with a lot of questions about the legend of the Shark King and Nanaue. That could be a positive if it encourages students to hunt for more books on Hawaiian legends or it could make the book unsatisfying.
Personal critique:
I would recommend this book to students. It should be a fun introduction to folktales and legends that aren't traditional European fairy stories. Also, the graphic novel format is accessible to a lot of different readers.
Illustrations:
Color illustrations
Notable awards:
Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature for Children (2012)
Lesson Planning:
This graphic novel would work well for a unit on legend and folktales as well as learning more about the culture of Hawaii.
January 14, 2013
If you like super heroes or graphic novels, this folk tale from Hawaii is for you.
December 30, 2017
A fun, sweet little story. Lovely artwork, great visual storytelling. My little students and my big students alike were into it.
May 18, 2018
A very pleasing visual arrangement and written story of a popular legend. My first graders raved about it and both read it multiple times.
July 16, 2018
This was just a really nice story and my 6-year-old has read it several times since he checked it out from the library 2 days ago. It was so good he even told me I had to read it to myself.
April 21, 2015
1.) The layout of this graphic novel was easy to follow. The panels were not too busy and I was easily able to determine which panel came next in the sequence of the story. I think the students will be able to focus on the story (the tale of a boy trying to find out more about his father [the shark king]) and follow along with the sequence of events.
2.) There are multiple applications for this book. This graphic novel could fit in either a science class (learning about fish/the sea), history class (learning about Hawaii/studying states) or a language arts class (studying folklore). The audience would be a 2nd to 3rd grade level as the sentences in this graphic novel are a bit more complex and the story is divided into 3 chapters.
3.) At the very end of this graphic novel, there are tips for parents and teachers. The tips give teachers and parents different ideas for reading comics to their children. Suggestions include: using your finger to follow along, hamming it up by doing character voices and asking questions about the pictures in the comics to encourage high level of thinking. I feel that having these tips really added to my learning and understanding of how to read children a graphic novel-the tips were very helpful.
2.) There are multiple applications for this book. This graphic novel could fit in either a science class (learning about fish/the sea), history class (learning about Hawaii/studying states) or a language arts class (studying folklore). The audience would be a 2nd to 3rd grade level as the sentences in this graphic novel are a bit more complex and the story is divided into 3 chapters.
3.) At the very end of this graphic novel, there are tips for parents and teachers. The tips give teachers and parents different ideas for reading comics to their children. Suggestions include: using your finger to follow along, hamming it up by doing character voices and asking questions about the pictures in the comics to encourage high level of thinking. I feel that having these tips really added to my learning and understanding of how to read children a graphic novel-the tips were very helpful.
August 14, 2012
Every teacher wants to find that book that will capture the imagination of their students. The Shark King fits the bill and provides wonderful panels and splash pages where a reader can "stop and think" to absorb everything that is going on in this Hawaiian tale. Readers will be automatically pushed into gathering meaning due to the comic book format of word balloons and silent panels. For example, early in the story a woman named Kalei is caught by a tide under water. One panel shows a shark swimming menacingly towards her while the next panel reveals a willing hand ready to help. As a teacher, this is a perfect opportunity to ask one of my students, "What is happening here?" It is a perfect way to "see" what is going on in the reader's mind based on his or her response. Nanaue, the main character, will have readers wanting to know what will happen next. This early-reader graphic novel will have both boys and girls flipping pages and saying how much they love reading. Plus, I wouldn't be surprised if this story had them reaching for the nearest atlas finding out exactly where Hawaii is and when they can get there.
September 20, 2012
A beautifully illustrated Hawaiian folk tale. There is a fair amount left unexplained and the main characters aren't clearly good or bad, as is often the case in folklore, but the plot is simple enough and it's a nice introduction to more complex comic conventions. There is also a wealth of discussion material for parents and teachers. I really loved this.
October 27, 2012
A great book. Almost perfect. R. Kikuo Johnson is an amazing artist.
Want to read
March 7, 2013Top Ten Graphic Novels for Youth 2013 (Booklist)
August 1, 2016
The house second grader adored this! She read it three times in two days.
November 13, 2016
I wish there was a whole series about this kid! So great.
February 15, 2018
Helppolukuinen, pieni sarjakuvaromaani hawailijaisesta kansantarusta oli ihan kiva lukukokemus. Albumin sarjakuvataide oli miellyttävän vanhanaikaisen näköistä, tarina sijoittuu menneisyyteen.
Nuorehko nainen nimeltä Kalei saalistaa simpukoita ja meinaa jäädä hain hampaisiin. Hänet pelastaa nuori mies, johon Kalei rakastuu. Kalei tulee raskaaksi, mutta ennen kuin lapsi syntyy, isä lähtee paikkaan, jossa hän voi tulevaisuudessa suojella poikaansa. Kalei jää pojan kanssa kahden. Hyvin pian poika, Nanaue, osoittautuu vallan merkilliseksi, hän on vähän villi, syö kuin hevonen ja pojan selässä on hampaat.
The Shark King kuuluu Toon into reading - sarjaan, jossa on enemmänkin eri tasoisia aloittelijoiden sarjakuvia. Sarja herätti kiinnostuksen, sillä sarja sisältää sarjakuvaa todellakin aloitteleville lukijoille. Kolmeen eri tasoon on sisällytetty sarjakuvia, joissa on alimmillaan 200 ja parhaimmillaan yli 800 sanaa ja muutenkin päähenkilöiden määrä, sarjakuvaruutujen määrä, lauseiden pituus ja juonen monimutkaisuus kasvaa tasojen myötä. Nämä voisivat hyvin sopia alakoululaisille, jotka aloittelevat englannin opintoja.
Nuorehko nainen nimeltä Kalei saalistaa simpukoita ja meinaa jäädä hain hampaisiin. Hänet pelastaa nuori mies, johon Kalei rakastuu. Kalei tulee raskaaksi, mutta ennen kuin lapsi syntyy, isä lähtee paikkaan, jossa hän voi tulevaisuudessa suojella poikaansa. Kalei jää pojan kanssa kahden. Hyvin pian poika, Nanaue, osoittautuu vallan merkilliseksi, hän on vähän villi, syö kuin hevonen ja pojan selässä on hampaat.
The Shark King kuuluu Toon into reading - sarjaan, jossa on enemmänkin eri tasoisia aloittelijoiden sarjakuvia. Sarja herätti kiinnostuksen, sillä sarja sisältää sarjakuvaa todellakin aloitteleville lukijoille. Kolmeen eri tasoon on sisällytetty sarjakuvia, joissa on alimmillaan 200 ja parhaimmillaan yli 800 sanaa ja muutenkin päähenkilöiden määrä, sarjakuvaruutujen määrä, lauseiden pituus ja juonen monimutkaisuus kasvaa tasojen myötä. Nämä voisivat hyvin sopia alakoululaisille, jotka aloittelevat englannin opintoja.
March 20, 2019
(2019 Read Harder Challenge: An #ownvoices book set in Oceania)
(3.5 Stars) Written/Illustrated by one of the most successful illustrators in the magazine business today, this work is a take on an older Hawaiian legend about the Shark King and his family. The book is for the kids, but readers of all ages can appreciate the artwork, and it will offer all readers insight into some legends/tales that they might not have heard about before. Worth the time to read (for yourself and/or with your kids).
(3.5 Stars) Written/Illustrated by one of the most successful illustrators in the magazine business today, this work is a take on an older Hawaiian legend about the Shark King and his family. The book is for the kids, but readers of all ages can appreciate the artwork, and it will offer all readers insight into some legends/tales that they might not have heard about before. Worth the time to read (for yourself and/or with your kids).
August 20, 2018
THE SHARK KING is a a simple retelling of a Hawaiian folktale, and is both a unique and interesting book. The pictures will appeal to older elementary kids, but I wish it had been a little bit longer and had some more explanation for the events in the story.
December 23, 2020
Very short satisfying read.
March 31, 2023
2⭐️
A shapeshifter man has a shapeshifter son, and they abandon their wife/mom….?
A shapeshifter man has a shapeshifter son, and they abandon their wife/mom….?
November 26, 2025
I love the art style here.
October 13, 2015
This is an interesting book. It definitely caught me off guard. A young woman jumps into the ocean to get her favorite type of fish, but ends up almost drowning and is pulled out by a stranger. The stranger has her favorite fish in hand and gives them to her. She is puzzled, as she thought a shark had gotten them. Later, the two fall in love and have a baby. But before the baby is born the father jumps into the ocean everyday and builds "a place that will be safe for him". He never returns, and she finds out that he is the shark. As her son grows up, he too begins to get features of a fish. He starts taking the other villagers food, but soon gets caught and they want to kill him. His only way out is to jump into the safe spot in the ocean that his father built him. The two (father and son) are now reunited, living in the ocean.
The idea of this one is that even though one of your parents is gone, they still have a plan for you. This could be related to kids who have parents that are divorced or a parent that died. I took it that the safe place was heaven, and that his father was always watching over him, even though he was on land. It was a decent read. The pictures were very vibrant and the spaces of the book were all used differently. Some of the images took up the whole spread, while others took up only half. There was on that looked like old polarized pictures stacked on top of one another and it showed all the fish that the little boy had caught through out the week, with the sizes of the fish getting larger and larger through the week. I stared at this page for the longest of them all. It was a unique way of showing the book, without just the normal comic style.
This book could be read to in class, and those kids who have either lost a parent or their parents were divorced could relate to this. It was a quick and easy read.
The idea of this one is that even though one of your parents is gone, they still have a plan for you. This could be related to kids who have parents that are divorced or a parent that died. I took it that the safe place was heaven, and that his father was always watching over him, even though he was on land. It was a decent read. The pictures were very vibrant and the spaces of the book were all used differently. Some of the images took up the whole spread, while others took up only half. There was on that looked like old polarized pictures stacked on top of one another and it showed all the fish that the little boy had caught through out the week, with the sizes of the fish getting larger and larger through the week. I stared at this page for the longest of them all. It was a unique way of showing the book, without just the normal comic style.
This book could be read to in class, and those kids who have either lost a parent or their parents were divorced could relate to this. It was a quick and easy read.
October 31, 2012
Join Kalei on an adventure as she wanders the beach to search for food and finds more than she had bargained for. Kalei is a young woman who is saved from drowning by a mysterious man. Eventually, they fall in love and marry. Kalei is about to have a baby when the young man leaves her to make, as he tells her, “a place for our son at the bottom of the pool.” With that, Kalei discovers something surprising about her husband...
Their son, Nanaue, is born laughing. Kalei soon discovers that he has an insatiable appetite! Nanaue simply can’t get enough to eat, and soon, the local fishermen are finding their nets empty of fish.
What will happen to Nanaue? What will happen to the starving villagers? In this simple retelling of a traditional Hawaiian folktale, graphic novel lovers are treated to the story of the Shark King, Kamohoalii and his son, Nanue. TOON Books has done it again, bringing us great content in a format younger students truly enjoy.
My emergent readers love the graphic novel format but struggle with tiny print and too much content on each page. The TOON books appeal to their sense of fun and exploration in a pared-down presentation of this popular format. I especially love that these books are so easy to provide for kids to enjoy at their own just-right level. TOON books are simply the best!
Their son, Nanaue, is born laughing. Kalei soon discovers that he has an insatiable appetite! Nanaue simply can’t get enough to eat, and soon, the local fishermen are finding their nets empty of fish.
What will happen to Nanaue? What will happen to the starving villagers? In this simple retelling of a traditional Hawaiian folktale, graphic novel lovers are treated to the story of the Shark King, Kamohoalii and his son, Nanue. TOON Books has done it again, bringing us great content in a format younger students truly enjoy.
My emergent readers love the graphic novel format but struggle with tiny print and too much content on each page. The TOON books appeal to their sense of fun and exploration in a pared-down presentation of this popular format. I especially love that these books are so easy to provide for kids to enjoy at their own just-right level. TOON books are simply the best!
April 15, 2014
The Shark King
Positives: If you are teaching a unit on folk tales and myths or want another way for students to learn about other cultures in a social studies lesson, this is a good resource to add to your collection. It will be an easy read for established 2nd and 3rd grade readers and a good supporting text for struggling readers. Often times, myths can be confusing for these struggling readers who often take things literally. The pictures clearly portray the sequence of the story and will help them with comprehension.
Audience: 2nd-3rd Grade, Language Arts (genre lesson), Social Studies (culture lesson), Established and Emerging Readers
Applications: This book could easily be incorporated into a genre unit under the traditional literature category. Students are used to a more traditional format for myths, fairy tales etc. so exposing them to this genre in graphic novel form will help further their understanding of the literature found in this category. Additionally, this book could be used in social studies as a way to help students understand the culture of the Hawaiian people. The format makes it easier for emerging readers to more fully comprehend.
(2012, May). School Library Journal. http://www.flr.follett.com/search?SID...
Positives: If you are teaching a unit on folk tales and myths or want another way for students to learn about other cultures in a social studies lesson, this is a good resource to add to your collection. It will be an easy read for established 2nd and 3rd grade readers and a good supporting text for struggling readers. Often times, myths can be confusing for these struggling readers who often take things literally. The pictures clearly portray the sequence of the story and will help them with comprehension.
Audience: 2nd-3rd Grade, Language Arts (genre lesson), Social Studies (culture lesson), Established and Emerging Readers
Applications: This book could easily be incorporated into a genre unit under the traditional literature category. Students are used to a more traditional format for myths, fairy tales etc. so exposing them to this genre in graphic novel form will help further their understanding of the literature found in this category. Additionally, this book could be used in social studies as a way to help students understand the culture of the Hawaiian people. The format makes it easier for emerging readers to more fully comprehend.
(2012, May). School Library Journal. http://www.flr.follett.com/search?SID...
October 30, 2012
Candlewick's Toon Books line is extremely cool. They're easy-to-read comics made by artists who normally write for adults. It's a great way to introduce little kids to some great art. Plus, I think the comic format makes them even easier for beginning readers, because the pictures provide even more context than a standard picture book.
I love R. Kikuo Johnson's art and he does a great job with THE SHARK KING. The colors are bold but not overwhelming. The images are simple and clean. There's a nice mix of definite and indefinite panels, allowing the action to move smoothly. And I love the way Johnson draws expressions! Some of protagonist Nanaue's more mischievous looks remind me of my nephew.
THE SHARK KING is an adaptation of a traditional Hawaiian folktale. Kalei has a child with the Shark King, who has to return to the ocean after their son is born. Nanaue grows to be a quick, clever boy who steals fish from the fisherman to keep his belly full. But as much as he loves his mother, he also misses his father.
It's a sweet, simple story. It's a bit of a bittersweet ending, but nothing that would upset children. It's probably to simple to hold the attention of older kids although they might enjoy Johnson's art.
I love R. Kikuo Johnson's art and he does a great job with THE SHARK KING. The colors are bold but not overwhelming. The images are simple and clean. There's a nice mix of definite and indefinite panels, allowing the action to move smoothly. And I love the way Johnson draws expressions! Some of protagonist Nanaue's more mischievous looks remind me of my nephew.
THE SHARK KING is an adaptation of a traditional Hawaiian folktale. Kalei has a child with the Shark King, who has to return to the ocean after their son is born. Nanaue grows to be a quick, clever boy who steals fish from the fisherman to keep his belly full. But as much as he loves his mother, he also misses his father.
It's a sweet, simple story. It's a bit of a bittersweet ending, but nothing that would upset children. It's probably to simple to hold the attention of older kids although they might enjoy Johnson's art.
December 9, 2014
I believe that The Shark King is a great story that students can learn about other cultures in this case about Hawaiian culture. It is definitely an easy read for 2nd and 3rd grade readers and a good supporting text for struggling readers. The pictures clearly portray the sequence of the story and will help them with comprehension.The story is about a Hawaiian folktale that focuses on Nanaue, son of the shape-shifting shark god Kamohoalii. Raised by his human mother, and marked with a shark's mouth growing out of his back, Nanaue can't stop wondering where he belongs: on the land, or in the sea?I believe that it is a beautifully illustrated Hawaiian folk tale. There the plot is simple enough and it's a nice introduction to more complex comic conventions. There is also a wealth of discussion material for parents and teachers. I really loved this story.Also the illustrations are geared toward the K-2 grades, including very bold and colorful illustrations.I think that R. Kikuo Johnson's art does a great job with the shark king. The colors are bold but not overwhelming also the images are very simple but at the same time very detailed.
May 1, 2017
The Shark King is a story that sends a strong message about the power of love and family. Nanaue is a young boy born of The Shark King and Kalei, a normal young woman who found herself in love with The Shark King. Because the family can't live together in the ocean, Nanaue is left to figure out if he wants the tender love from his mother or the guidance and knowledge from his father in the ocean.
This book is structured well and tells a great story of the struggle between choosing two different things that are important to a person. Throughout the book the pictures stay pretty consistent but the shape of the panels are a little varied. They change between different shapes that allow the reader to understand the pace of the book and the amount of action that is taking place. The gutters between the panels are also pretty varied throughout the book because they show time elapsing, which is different throughout. At the beginning of the book it is obvious that a lot of time has passed because the size of the gutters between the panels. Overall it is a very good book that sends a good message and effectively manipulates panels and gutters to tell the story the way it should be told.
This book is structured well and tells a great story of the struggle between choosing two different things that are important to a person. Throughout the book the pictures stay pretty consistent but the shape of the panels are a little varied. They change between different shapes that allow the reader to understand the pace of the book and the amount of action that is taking place. The gutters between the panels are also pretty varied throughout the book because they show time elapsing, which is different throughout. At the beginning of the book it is obvious that a lot of time has passed because the size of the gutters between the panels. Overall it is a very good book that sends a good message and effectively manipulates panels and gutters to tell the story the way it should be told.
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