Surprise shark! by Sarah Lane & Patrick Corrigan

What do you do when you want some friends, but you are a shark, the animal that everyone runs from. In this cute tale, you keep on trying, eventually succeeding in changing people's minds by your perseverance. Each double page shows the shark in a different situation, the first down deep in the ocean where a range of fish are doing their best to get away from him. Next a group of pirates are about to open their treasure chest when the shark pops out, ready to be friendly but finds they all run away. Over the page is Benny Bunny’s birthday party, all going well until Shark makes his appearance. No matter how friendly he is, everyone runs away when he appears. Even in space!

So he hops into bed with a book telling him how to make friends, and sends out invitations to all the animals in Blue Bottle Bay. They are intrigued at who could have set up. But a party is a party, so they go along, only to find it is Shark who has surprised them all with a party for everyone. They decide that he is not so bad after all and settle down to a pleasant party afternoon.    

Cute illustrations will catch the attention of the reader as they spot the different animals, and laugh at the detail the illustrator Patrick Corrigan has included. I love the space ship with its dice hanging from the rear vision mirror, and the shark popping out of the vampire's coffin, and the messy party at the rabbit’s house after Shark makes his appearance.     

Repetition and rhyming lines all add to the enthusiasm of the audience as this read aloud story is read over again to the delight of all.

Themes: Friendship, Sharks, Parties, Humour, Read aloud.

Fran Knight