Shark Night

Alone in a giant water tank, Liam, holding a camera, watches as a twenty-foot-long hammerhead shark is about to be lowered in with him. This is not where he thought his day was going. 

Liam is helping his mom film a documentary for the Danger Channel. A twelve-year-old battling a shark! It’ll be a sensation! But don’t worry, the hammerhead is the gentlest of sharks. And this one is old and nearly toothless, so Liam will be fine. 

But Liam is paralyzed with fear. And as the shark is lowered into the tank, he realizes something’s not right! 

In the story, Liam shares his shocking account of being locked in a tank with a shark with the readers. This allows the reader to glimpse Liam’s thought process and understand why he makes crazy decisions. While Liam believes he is in mortal danger, he tells his story outrageously and humorously that makes the adventure more suspenseful than scary. The book’s tone pulls the reader into the story and has you hooked from page one.  

With its fast-paced narrative, Shark Night will captivate readers, including those reluctant to read. In addition to being full of action, suspense, and surprises, the book’s short paragraphs and black-and-white illustrations help move the story along. Liam’s sister, Rosa, plays an integral role and enjoys pushing Liam into silly situations such as singing karaoke and climbing a tree to save a cat. This relationship adds humor to the story, and readers will eagerly await to see what Rosa will do next.  

Shark Night combines danger and humor with interesting secondary characters to create a fast-paced story that will engage readers of all types. The slapstick humor is perfect for readers who love pranks and over-the-top situations. While some readers will find Shark Night shallow because it doesn’t teach a moral, middle school readers will gobble up each page and likely grab another book written by R.L. Stein. Readers eager for another adventure should grab a copy of Shark Bait by Justin D’Ath and The 13th Floor: A Ghost Story by Sid Fleischman. 

Sexual Content  

• None 

Violence  

• While in a tank with a shark, the shark attacks Liam. “The shark bumped me hard from behind. . . I spun around. The shark’s jaw was wide open, and I saw two perfect rows of sharp, pointed teeth. . . the shark struck again. It lowered its head and rammed my chest. A powerful blow.” The shark hits the tank, breaking it, and both the shark and Liam are washed out to sea. 
• While in the ocean, a huge octopus “monster” attacks Liam. Liam “screamed as a hard tentacle bumped my shoulder. Another tentacle wrapped around my neck. . . I squirmed and struggled, but it was too strong. The tentacles wrapped around me. And the claws clamped shut on my arms and legs.” The octopus drops Liam onto the sand, and he escapes. 
• Liam, his sister Rosa, and an actor named Swan are in a canoe in the ocean. The same octopus “monster” attacks Swan. “The ugly monster moved with surprising speed. The tentacles reached straight out now as the creature closed in on him.” The canoe flips over, and when Liam pops up, Swan is gone. Later, Liam discovers that Swan is fine. 
• Liam is lowered into the ocean with sharks. “The shark made a wide circle—and attacked again. I could see jagged teeth as it snapped its jaws. It plowed into the cage bars again. A hard jolt that sent the cage swinging back on its teeth.” Liam is frightened but uninjured. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

• None 

Language  

• None 

Supernatural 

• None 

Spiritual Content  

• None