School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Traveling with his explorer dad, a boy discovers a strange creature who is half dog, half shark. Aptly named "Shark Dog," the animal swims underwater just like a typical shark but reverts to his canine instincts when he fetches slippers. Sometimes, Shark Dog's inclinations get him into big trouble, such as the time he grabs a tree trunk when all the other dogs are retrieving sticks. When Shark Dog starts missing others of his kind, he is brought back to Shark Dog Island only to prove that he is still not ready to leave his human buddy for good. The absurd notion of a semi-canine, semi-aquatic pet, complete with long, slobbery tongue and pointy, daggerlike teeth, will delight young readers who love land and sea creatures. Adamson's cheerful, full-color cartoon illustrations expertly depict the contrast, up to the final page, where Shark Dog's friends (fins extended) follow him home with his human companions. Fans of Eric Carle's The Mixed-Up Chameleon will enjoy this rollicking, goofy, wholly unconventional picture book. Young listeners may even pick up on the underlying message about fitting in. The story would also support a comparative unit on the differences between land mammals and ocean creatures. VERDICT A hilarious selection that's sure to please a picture book crowd, particularly one composed of children fascinated by dogs, sharks, or both.-Etta Anton, Yeshiva of Central Queens, NY © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Adamson's narrator, a redheaded girl with a "famous explorer" for a father, discovers the species described in the title when he stows away on their boat-he has a shark's bullet-shaped head, a terrier's body, and big googly eyes. Shark Dog proves to be as disruptive a pet as he is loyal: he fetches an entire tree instead of the usual stick ("at the park, we didn't stay long") and stalks a cat through tall grass like the great white in Jaws. But when Shark Dog starts yearning for his own kind (an inflatable shark toy reminds him of his friends back home) the girl realizes that her pet might need to return to his former home. What follows, and the happy ending that ties it all up, suggests that Adamson (Douglas, You Need Glasses!) is more interested in chronicling the idiosyncratic slapstick of his hybrid hero (in a series of vignettes that goes on for a bit too long) than in exploring the bittersweet selflessness of recognizing that a wild animal belongs in the wild. Ages 4-8. Agent: Isabel Atherton, Creative Authors. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
