BEING ME

A young shark learns that hard work and determination can help her to be her best self in Swain’s picture book.

When Lucy, a great white shark with a floppy fin, gets bullied by Bobby, a bull shark, she lets herself get talked into showing off her skills at the school competition. In a syncopated exchange, Bobby greets her on the day of the challenge: “I’m strong, agile, and physically fit.” / “That doesn’t mean anything!” / “Doesn’t it?” When the time comes, Lucy’s ready: She aces the math challenge, knows her geography, and succeeds in both marine biology and astronomy. When it comes to the physical challenge, she knows it will be tough to prove herself. While she doesn’t win, she does learn that, if she believes in herself, she’ll persevere. While there’s no real resolution to the bullying situation, Lucy’s resolution to be herself, no matter what, is a strong takeaway. Swain uses both narrative text and word bubbles to tell the story, switching between straightforward prose and rhyming verses as it suits her. Some marine biology phrases provide insight into real shark behaviors (like “gill popping” and “pectoral dropping”) that are easy to understand in context. Kadysha’s humorous color cartoon illustrations give the sharks a humanlike underwater school, complete with pencils, paper, and dioramas.

An affirming tale of self-love—from a marine perspective.