Class Clown Fish

April 1, 2021
Deep under the sea, a tempestuous squid must contend with his temper. Following the events of Fish Feud (2020), Squizzard Silvershell, a hotheaded, tomato-red squid, is mad. After submitting his comics to a magazine contest, he learns he has lost, and his anger is festering. Deciding mischief will cheer him up, he pulls a prank on his teacher, Mr. Cuker. He is immediately sent to Principal Kraken and put in detention for a week, which causes him to miss the Coral Carnival. In detention, he and sea urchin Annie, a fellow student under punishment, help crossing guard Mr. Jaleel, an eel, clean the basement. Squizzard eventually comes to understand why his behavior was inappropriate, coming to a simply reasoned contrition. Sherry's oceanic graphic offering is high on pep and alluring, vibrantly colored art, threading information about marine life throughout the narrative. This second volume in the series loses a bit of momentum, though; those who enjoyed Squizzard's previous benign naughtiness may find his rapid repentance a bit hurried. Multiple plot threads are easy enough to follow but seem a bit cramped. Sherry's illustrations are bright and expressive, with more flashy colors than a well-stocked aquarium carrying the short chapters; economically worded panels keep the pages moving along swimmingly. Quibbles aside, with its buoyant pacing and intriguing facts, it offers much to appreciate. Further facts on coral and instructions on making a newsletter follow the story. A fun, quick dip. (Graphic fantasy. 7-10)

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May 1, 2021

Gr 2-5-School is back in session at Seaweed Elementary in this second installment of the series. Squizzard, a sprightly Humboldt squid, is up to his old tricks and is sent to Principal Kraken's office after a raucous classroom prank. Squizzard is assigned a detention shift every day after school, cleaning out the basement for upcoming club fair meetings. What? Every day? He'll miss the school's Coral Carnival! The next day, Toothy, a great white shark in blue jeans, tells Squizzard all about the fun he is missing out on. Squizzard is jealous, but during detention he finds an old school newsletter that was printed on an ancient copy machine. This discovery gives the budding comic artist ideas that develop into a new after-school opportunity. A variety of graphic novel techniques will keep new readers engaged with this screwball sea story. Sherry's splash pages, multiple-panel sequences, captions, and onomatopoeic words blend well for clear story and panel flow. The palette is bold; story panels are depicted in flat colors with textured backgrounds, and panels containing facts about marine animal facts are rendered with color shadowing for more realistic effects. At the end of the book, a shoal of sea creatures show kids how to create their own newsletter or book. VERDICT A fin-tastic graphic reader with plenty of laughs, along with solid insights into feelings, friends, and personal initiative.-Rita Christensen, Orem, UT

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