Shark Girl

I went to the library today and they had a St. Patrick's day craft set out...so having my mom and sister distracted, I took the opportunity to cruise the shelves and stumbled upon this book. What caight my eye? "Shark" Naturally.

Soon I found myself unable to escape from the new format of the book and just kept reading and reading. By the time mom was ready to head out, I was more than 3/4 done with it. Came home and finished up the rest.

This book was very interesting. I was sucked in by Jane and the story she had to tell me. I loved the format of poetry, letters and conversations. Its been quite a while since I was able to just sit and read for that long without stopping. After all the hustle and bustle of life, this book was just show more what I needed. A great inspiration to keep movong forward when life takes a shot at you and tries to bring you down. Definitely recommeend this book! show less

Bingham, Kelly. (2007). Shark Girl. New York: Candlewick. 288 pp. ISBN 0-7636-3207-4 (Hardcover); $16.99

If Jane had waited just a few more minutes, if her brother Michael had not been so interested in watching bikini clad girls, if Jane had stopped to help the woman with her food and kids, maybe the shark would not have chewed her arm off. If! This verse novel, with its ragged chewed lines, gets my vote for its raw emotion and believable response to a horrible incident. The poetry in this novel is really the only way to tell the story—we can't have full, even balanced lines in a story about an artist who loses an arm. I loved the sections depicting Jane reading poems with her friend Justin and her other friend Angie (who tries so show more wrong-headedly to keep Jane from more hurt by saying such hurtful things). The scattering of letters that sound very realistic is a nice, often darkly funny touch, to this upbeat verse novel. show less

This novel in verse tells the story of Jane, an artistic high schooler whose life changes completely when she loses her right arm in a shark attack. A bystander videotapes the event and it's shown on the news. Suddenly strangers from all over the country are sending her cards and flowers, acting like they're her new best friend, like they understand her. In reality, Jane shrinks from all the attention and seems to abandon the things that gave her joy before the accident. Little things like cracking open eggs or buttoning her pants are suddenly insurmountable. But as Jane gives herself time to heal, she realizes that although she wouldn't have wished for this accident, it's taking her down a new and interesting path. Perhaps not worse... show more just different.

I have no firsthand experience, but I imagine that the voice of Jane is pretty realistic and it's an interesting glimpse into the world of someone with a disability. It made me think about things like how long it would take me to relearn how to write using my left hand (or type, for that matter). Again, I'm not a huge fan of the novel-in-verse format, but I think it mostly works and there are instances where it really works in this novel. show less

2010 Caudill Award Nominee. Really good book about a girl who is an artist who is attacked by a shark. She lives but her right arm is amputated. It is written in journal/free-verse poetry style that is very effective. It is about grieving, living, managing and accepting. The only part I would criticize, of course, is that Physical Therapy gets all the credit! But she explores new careers and is really interested in Occupational Therapy. Good read.

While I felt sorry for Jane for the challenges she had to face after an encounter with a shark, I never emotionally connected with her. The storyline was slow and rather bland although I did enjoy how the book was written in various formats including poems, letters and phone conversations. "Shark Girl" was a quick read but not an inspirational one.

A young California girl's life is forever changed after a shark attack forces the amputation of her right arm. She struggles to come to terms with her new life. The verse format works perfectly in with this story.

a strong verse novel interspersed with some letters from sympathetic people. Jane's family has already coped with one tragedy, now they have to cope with a very public tragedy. Jane is a victim of a shark attack, and a media frenzy. She just wants to live a normal life - but what is normal anymore? Her identity as an artist is in jeopardy, as are relationships with friends. She just wants everyone to understand that she's not 'that girl', she's Jane.