Julia and the Shark has some of my favorite things: deep dives (pun intended) on Greenland sharks, conservation & environmentalism, and an awesome cat named Noodle who likes to ride on boat figureheads. It also has a beautiful message on mental illness and that its okay to not be okay. The heart-squish was real and my heart ached for Julia as she navigated her mom’s ups-and-downs as well as the local bullies. Courage, cold seas and starry skies, and whales more ancient than trees, this story had me by the heartstrings.
Julia and the Shark by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, (List Price: $18.99, Union Square Kids, 9781454948681, March 2023)
Reviewed by Candice Conner, The Haunted Book Shop in Mobile, Alabama