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A fantasy picture book with a narrative geared to readers aged 5-9, The Shark and the Volcano is one of a series of adventures in which the "Green Kids" obtain super powers that permit them to confront and resolve environmental issues.
The Green Kids are introduced to a young shark by a friendly dolphin. At first fearful, the children listen to the story that the shark tells via the powers of a magic spring that permits people to understand the languages of the marine animals. The young creature tells them that his father is at risk of having his fins removed by men, as have many other sharks. Several marine animals, as well as the children, spring into action to convince the fishermen to stop the practice. The beautiful spectacle of a girl riding across the water on the back of a dolphin and the young people's reasonable arguments convince the adults. The book ends with some basic facts about the lives and habits of sharks.
The beautiful illustrations by Joy Eagle, the fantasy elements, and the aspects of family life, as well as the timeliness of the subjects of endangered species of marine life, make this children's story engaging as well as informative. Through acknowledgements of fear as examples—the children's initial fear of sharks, as well as the young shark's fear for his father's safety—child readers are able to acknowledge their own unease in situations of daily life. The Green Kids Club Adventures illustrate the positive forces of friendship and education in ways that children can find enlightening and empowering.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review