FARM SHARK

And on this farm, there was a…shark?

The barnyard animals are excited when a truck arrives pulling a trailer stamped with the words “Aquatic Ranch Delivery.” “A new friend!” says the sheep. “I bet it’s a duck,” says the pig. Even after they learn that the new arrival is actually a “farm shark,” the sheep remains enthused: “How fun! He looks so friendly.” Not really. Gradually, most of the animals are swallowed and trapped in the shark’s stomach, depicted on two-page spreads as a dark, potato-shaped space. (Helpfully, the space contains a lantern and a working flashlight—the shark’s previous meal?) Fortunately, tan-skinned, dark-haired Farmer Jolene knows how to free the animals: A bit of shark tickling gets the critters expelled in a popcornlike burst from their captor’s laughing mouth. Farmer Jolene tells the shark to stop eating the animals, and he agrees. But Farmer Jolene’s still on the menu—and must turn to readers for help. Canterbury has produced a hilarious addition to the dim-but-adorable-animals picture-book subgenre, imbuing this offering with punchy, punny dialogue and memorably daffy expressions (“Well, that just beats my biscuits”). Frost’s flat, cartoonish Photoshop art is immaculate, with roomy layouts that ensure that readers won’t miss a gag. Here’s one: There’s a sign inside the shark’s stomach that says “Welcome to Stomachville.”

Good-natured giggles, with a bit of bite.