PRAISE

2023 Kirkus Prize Finalist
CCBC Choices 2024 Selection

“Written in the first person with a compelling dry wit, this story addresses the tough topics of bullying and bipolar disorder with poise and empathy. The potent illustrations, rendered starkly in black, white, and yellow, put it in a class by itself. Often spanning double-page spreads, these masterpieces of design create a powerful atmosphere that deepens, enriches, and fortifies the narrative. Outstanding.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“A tempest-tossed race to locate an ancient Greenland shark upends a family in a heart-wrenching novel reminiscent of The Line Tender . . . . Wry first-person prose by Millwood Hargrave drives Julia’s burgeoning, age-appropriate understanding of her parents as fallible but wholly lovable people in a story.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“Such rich and vivid prose . . . makes the setting a character in its own right; you can practically taste the salt on your tongue. The novel is interwoven with beautiful illustrations by Tom de Freston . . . . [T]hey are evocative, emotive, full of movement and language.” —The New York Times

“Pensive and poignant, Julia and the Shark falls readily in line with Ali Benjamin’s The Thing about Jellyfish and Kate Allen’s The Line Tender in its examination of grief and mental health. Poetic shifts in the text and collage-like illustrations—grayscale with yellow accents—add to the story’s loveliness.” —Booklist

“Julia and the Shark is a riveting, dramatic tale in which prose and pictures are perfectly paired.” —BookPage

“The narrative tone and the gorgeous artwork of this UK import come together to present an authentic, compassionate look at a girl flailing in rocky familial waters . . . . The dreamy illustrations underscore the emotions with deft subtlety; dappled shades of yellow and black background the text, eventually shaping into Julia, the shark, and the rough waves she must travel. The depictions of her mother’s struggles with mental health are realistic but tender, placing that condition within the wonderful, caring wholeness that is Mum. Honest but still hopeful, this makes a strong readalike for Allen’s The Line Tender or Kelly’s Song for a Whale.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

“This is a poetic look at mental illness. Illustrations invoke the chaotic feelings of a young girl struggling to understand the situation around her, while also trying to make new friends and deal with bullies. The symbolism of the broken lighthouse and the ever-present but elusive shark creates a depth of character that is strengthened by stirring moments when Julia reflects on her own feelings of anxiety and helplessness. The back matter includes resources for learning more about conservation and the environment, as well as resources to support mental health for children and young adults. A poignant book about mental illness that includes timely topics of science and the environment, this is highly recommended.”—School Library Journal, Starred Review


“This book, the literal object, is beautiful. The illustrations show the expanse of the sea and the sky, the overwhelming size of the shark, the many emotions Julia feels as she spends this summer metaphorically and eventually literally adrift. The book, the words of it, is beautiful. This stunning and empathetic look at mental illness is not be missed. Perfect from start to finish.” —Teen Librarian Toolbox

“The story is a conversation starter for families about mental health.” —Daily Mom

“[An] engaging novel of family secrets, mental illness and healing . . . . De Freston's wondrous two-tone illustrations, in yellow and black, offer dramatic depictions of the ocean's mysterious depths, a storm's fury, the stark isolation of the lighthouse, and of the shark that may or may not exist.” —Buffalo News -

PRAISE

"Julia and the Shark is deep, beautiful and true. The art shines and the writing soars—a classic from cover to cover." —#1 New York Times bestselling author Eoin Colfer

"Truly extraordinary. . . it will redefine what a children's book can look like, in a way that adults will ooh and ahh over, and children will love because the story is wonderful and the art is amazing. It is the kind of book that you will want to have on your shelves and treasure. I can't wait for the world to fall in love with Julia and the Shark!" —Katherine Webber Tsang -