Shark and Bot; Brian Yanish

Shark and Bot is the first in a new series of graphic novels about two unlikely friends from Brian Yanish.

Shark is a great white who, along with his cuddly wombat toy, has travelled to a suburban American neighbourhood from Australia. Bot lives in the neighbourhood, exactly 0.185 miles away from the park. And the park is where the two most unlikely of buddies meet.

The two have nothing in common, except perhaps the inability to make new friends. When a bully turns up at the park, the two need to find a way to unite if they are to be allowed to play on the same ‘turf’. Can Shark and Bot come up with a plan or is their friend ‘ship’ destined to sink…

Shark and Bot is a delightful addition to the selection of graphic novels for newly independent readers. It is great to have two characters that are so wildly different finding a way to connect when it seems that all they have in common are their differences. The two bond over their love for a comic about doughnuts with superpowers - the Glo-Nuts! Taking inspiration from their favourite superheroes, they are able to win the respect of the bullies with some funky dance moves - instructions are included for doing the Shark-Bot.

In his humorous story, Yanish deals with the challenges of making friends, dealing with bullies and the importance of teamwork. By the end, Shark and Bot have learnt that awesome differences can be the thing that unites.

The story is told over six chapters with large panels and speech bubbles conveying the action. The Shark and Bot narrative is interspersed with two seperate appearances from the Glo-Nuts in a different colour palette. Additional extras include fact files and instructions for drawing Shark and Bot.

Recommended for 5+.