Our BLG book this week was full of rhymes, funny sea creatures and lots of laughs. Deborah, our BLG reader read us Clark the Shark written by Bruce Hale and illustrated by Guy Francis. We were so excited to see Deborah return as one of our classroom readers again this year!

Clark is an exuberant student at Theodore Roosterfish Elementary School under the sea. He has a few (well, a lot actually) challenges with keeping calm and quiet in his classroom and plays a little too wildly during play time. How is he going to have more success and not annoy his friends? His teacher, Mrs. InkyDink (a beautiful octopus) gives him a mantra: “Stay Cool!” Clark finds that by repeating this often and by coming up with some other rhymes of advice, he can navigate his school day with more success. Our favourite was “Only munch your own lunch!” Clark sometimes forgot the “ask before taking your neighbour’s sandwiches” etiquette of the lunchroom!

Students were very attentive while listening to Deborah read aloud. They noticed the rhymes and alliteration and enjoyed repeating certain lines along with Deborah. There were some worries that Clark might just decide to eat all his fish friends (“But I don’t get it. He’s a shark. Sharks eat fishes. They do!”) Eventually, they relaxed into the book and even made up a few of their own rhymes full of school advice:

“When we sit on the rug to learn. Remember to take your turn!”

 

“Don’t shout out or your teacher will pout!”

 

Student reviewers respond:

Kassidy rates this book 5/5 and writes: I like Clark because he learns to stay cool. Clark is the nicest shark in the whole world. And that book is the coolest. Deborah is nice to all of us. She is the best. She is my favourite one.

Joeli rates this book 3/5 and writes: I wonder why all the names of the characters is like a rhyme. Why did Clark the Shark eat everybody’s lunch? Why he did not bring his own lunch box? When Sid the Squid came, why did he not watch his step because he stepped on the slide and the swing.

Kevin rates this book 5/5 and writes: I love the rhymes! How could a school be under water? If the shark is under water, he won’t eat the fish? I like when Clark the Shark stays cool in Main School. 

Steven rates this book 5/5 and writes: Stay cool Deborah! I like the story. The shark was sad. I love books!

Soleen rates this book 5/5 and writes: My favourite part is when the teacher said stay cool. I enjoyed this book. I love the teacher’s name. I like the rhymes and the pictures. I wonder if the Squid will be friends with the Shark? I thought that part was amazing. 

Kala rates this book 3.5/5 and writes: I loved the pictures most. My favourite picture was when the shark made a friend. Why was the shark so big? I think we should use “Stay cool in school!” for our class! So we will be the coolest class in the school!

Giovanni rates this book 4/5 and writes: I liked that Clark the Shark made friends with the Squid.

Andrew rates this book 5/5 and writes: My favourite part is when Clark helped Sid the Squid. To the author: Why is Clark’s Teacher named Mrs. InkyDink? I have a rhyme for you: Clark the Shark sitting in the park staying cool on April fools!

Heman rates this book 3/5 and writes: My favourite part is when Clark the Shark made friends with Sid. Everyone ran away from Sid the Squid except Clark the Shark. I think everyone ran away from Squid because they were afraid of him. I like the rhymes in this book. 

Calvin rates this book 5/5 and writes: My favourite part is when the Big Kid Squid came down because it was funny.