Reviews

PreS-K-In this cautionary tale, the great white shark introduced in Gilbert the Great (Sterling, 2005) and his friend Rita Remora are bored playing hide-and-seek in the shallow reefs-they already know all the good hiding spots. Despite his mother's firm warning to stay close by, the pair swim off the reef edge and dive for the depths. After all, Gilbert reassures himself, "white sharks are fearless." Their play is interrupted by a mild fright or two until Gilbert's mom comes down and sternly but lovingly admonishes the two for disobeying. The full-color cartoon illustrations wash across the pages and are drenched in the bright greens of a reef and the more monochromatic blues and grays of the deep ocean. Fuge uses a few deft strokes to capture the youngster's emotions in a way that perfectly mirrors a real child's responses. This low-key tale of disobedience and forgiveness may be most useful for libraries with young shark fans or parents looking for a book with a gentle lesson.-Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha Public Library, WI Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.