Gilbert in Deep - Softcover

Jane Clarke began writing poems and stories after she became a library assistant at Antwerp International School. She is now a full-time writer of books for children. Learn more about Jane Clarke at janeclarke.co.uk. She lives in Kent, England.
 
Charles Fuge is an award-winning author and artist who has been writing and illustrating since 1988. Charles is the illustrator of the Kate Greenaway short-listed Sometimes I Like to Curl Up in a Ball by Vicki Churchill, and he won both the MacMillan Prize and the Mother Goose Award for his first book. His books include Gilbert the Great; Found You, Little Wombat!; It’s a Monster Party; My Dad!; and I Know a Rhino, all published by Sterling. He lives in Dorset, England.

PreSchool-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
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