The Shark King (Toon) [Hardcover]

R. Kikuo Johnson (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: April 10, 2012 | Age Range: 4 - 8 years | Series: Toon | Lexile Measure: 150L (What's this?)

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Johnson’s beautiful, graphic style recalls, of all things, Gilbert Hernandez’ early Palomar comics, with zippy figures set against equatorial backgrounds distinguished by a few key features—a waterfall and fruit tree here, a tidal pool and coral reef there. The crafty panel layouts plunge into a couple of full-bleed splash pages with all the exhilaration of a high dive. While simple enough to keep brand-new and below-level readers in tow—and strengthen their vocabulary with contextual clues—this charming, high-energy Hawaiian fable will reveal deeper layers to more intuitive readers.
—Booklist (starred review)

Sharks, superpowers, and the comic-panel format will initially lure in readers, but the subtext of bullying, parental separation, and self-discovery will stay with them long afterward. The characters’ rounded black outlines convey strong energy and emotion, while the panels and spreads feature a lush, colorful Hawaiian setting.
—The Horn Book (starred review)

This graphic novel, which works either as a read-aloud or as a step toward chapter books for young readers, offers a story especially appealing to boys who long to be just like Dad.
—The New York Times

About the Author

R. 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.

Product Details

• Age Range: 4 - 8 years
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Toon Books (April 10, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1935179160
• ISBN-13: 978-1935179160
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 0.4 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #141,729 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Like Father, Like Son July 31, 2012

By Catherine Nichols

Format:Hardcover

Nanaue is not your average little boy. For one thing, he sports some mean snapping jaws between his shoulder blades. Perhaps that's because Dad is the Shark King, a shape-shifter who fell in love with Nanaue's mother, a mere mortal. The Shark King, one of Toon's graphic novels, retells a Hawaiian legend, adapting it for beginning readers. The story is simple, yet powerful. Nanaue's father leaves the night before his son is born, and the boy grows up yearning for him. Nanaue also has a bottomless pit for a stomach and devours fish. (He is half shark, after all.) His appetite gets him into trouble when he sabotages the local fishermen's catches. Pursued by them, he leaps into the ocean and finds his way to his father. What I like best about this book is the bold, vivid artwork. R. Kikuo Johnson does an excellent job of conveying action and pacing his story. Kids will be completely absorbed as they flip the pages, wondering what will happen to Nanaue next.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Very well done... May 16, 2012

By A. Upton

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Awesome art and a brilliant retelling of an old Hawaiian tale. I enjoyed the Night Fisher and thoroughly enjoyed this book. My five year old son was able to read it from cover to cover and enjoyed it also. We look forward to RKJ's future works. And hopefully I can catch him if he ever comes back to the islands for a book signing!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Looking For His Place in the World April 10, 2012

By tvtv3 TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Written and illustrated by R. Kikuo Johnson, THE SHARK KING is a Toon Book loosely based upon a Hawaiian myth. A woman named Kalei falls into the ocean and is saved by a handsome young man. They fall in love and are married and soon Kalei is pregnant. The night before their son is born, her husband runs away and she discovers a secret he has been keeping from her: he is the Shark King. The next day, their son, Nanaue is born. Nanaue grows at an incredible rate and has a voracious appetite. His mother soon discovers he has a shark mouth on his back and he can swim like no other creature in the sea. Nanaue begins stealing fish from fisherman just before they are netted. This leads to trouble for Nanaue.

I was unfamiliar with the myth of Nanaue before reading THE SHARK KING. After reading the book, I did some research and discovered that Johnson portrays Nanaue in a much more favorable light in THE SHARK KING than according to the Hawaiian myths (in the original stories, Nanaue develops a taste for human flesh and kills people and is eventually captured and killed himself). This version of the myth works for a graphic novel geared towards young children. Instead of being a creature to be feared and hunted, in THE SHARK KING Nanaue is portrayed as a playful and mischievous child who the reader comes to emphasize with.

The art in THE SHARK KING is graceful and seeped in Hawaiian influence. The illustrations aren't overly cartoonish, nor or they too realistic.

I really enjoyed THE SHARK KING. It was a story I was unfamiliar with and has given me a desire to search out other Hawaiian myths. Perhaps Johnson will bring other Hawaiian myths to life in future works.