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Samson: The Piranha Who Went to Dinner: A Funny Story for Kids (Ages 4-8) About Fine Dining and Being True to Yourself
A charming and funny story of friendship, fine dining, and being true to yourself, from Tadgh Bentley, the author/illustrator of Little Penguin Gets the Hiccups —perfect for fans of Love Monster and I Don’t Want to Be a Frog ! Samson wasn’t like other piranhas.
While other piranhas stayed close to home
He wanted to explore the world.
And while they stuck to the same old routine, swimming and chomping and scaring,
Samson liked to try new things
Most of all, Samson dreamed of eating fine foods at fancy restaurants.
So when not one but THREE new restaurants come to his corner of the sea, Samson can’t wait to try them all. There’s only one With their big teeth and scary smiles, piranhas aren’t really welcome anywhere, let alone in fancy restaurants. Can Samson make his dream come true—and still be himself?
While other piranhas stayed close to home
He wanted to explore the world.
And while they stuck to the same old routine, swimming and chomping and scaring,
Samson liked to try new things
Most of all, Samson dreamed of eating fine foods at fancy restaurants.
So when not one but THREE new restaurants come to his corner of the sea, Samson can’t wait to try them all. There’s only one With their big teeth and scary smiles, piranhas aren’t really welcome anywhere, let alone in fancy restaurants. Can Samson make his dream come true—and still be himself?
40 pages, Hardcover
Published February 7, 2017
1 person is currently reading
83 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
January 27, 2019
Samson is a fish after my own heart. Samson is a foodie and longs to eat at fancy restaurants. The problem is other fish are scared of piranha and if Samson goes to a fine establishment, the other fish are scared away. Samson wears a disguise and something happens to see through that too and the restaurant is cleared.
The other piranha don’t care about good food or adventures. Samson is lonely since he doesn’t fit in with other piranha and the other fish don’t trust him. So he finds some other snaggletooth friends to open a restaurant with and they all enjoy fine dining together.
The kids had fun with this silly little book. The niece picked out this book. They both gave it 4 stars.
The other piranha don’t care about good food or adventures. Samson is lonely since he doesn’t fit in with other piranha and the other fish don’t trust him. So he finds some other snaggletooth friends to open a restaurant with and they all enjoy fine dining together.
The kids had fun with this silly little book. The niece picked out this book. They both gave it 4 stars.
February 16, 2017
So there's this sea piranha...
What?
Uh, I don't know. I don't know how many sea piranhas are in the world.
No, I don't know which seas they live in, either. It doesn't say.
Anyway, there's this sea piranha named Samson and he's more adventurous than his fellow sea piranhas who just want to stay home and eat fish.
What?
I'm sure some piranhas eat fish. I don't really know much about them. I never studied them. I don't know much about marine life, in general. Right, or Amazonian river life. Unless I can fish it out of a stream in Colorado, I don't really know much about things that live in water.
Ok, sure, I know a little bit about sea monkeys. I've grown them before. We had one batch that lasted three years! That's pretty good, I think. Otherwise, water dwellers are beyond my depth of knowledge.
So anyway, Samson the sea piranha wants to try new things, especially foods. The problem is, whenever he tries to go to a fancy restaurant, the other ocean fauna freak out, screaming things like Salty mother of mackerel! and Scaly Neptune's crabcakes! or For the love of smoky sea bass!
What?
I don't know how the manatuna (it's like a cross between a manatee and a tuna) knows what smoky anything is. Maybe there was a tin of smoked sea bass that sunk to the bottom of the sea after a shipwreck. Does it matter? It's funny, ok? A manatuna yelling, "For the LOVE of SMOKY SEA BASS!" is hilarious.
ANYWAY. The fishen expostulate and then everyone swims away in terror, yelling, "PIRANHA!" and it makes Samson sad, especially because he starts trying to disguise himself to get into these high end eateries but his plans are always foiled for some reason or another.
What?
Fish disguise themselves all the time. Ask the hermit crab.
No, that's not technically a fish. You know what? Shut up. Let me finish my review and stop nitpicking everything. This is a children's book. As some review-commenter told me kind of recently, "If you're looking for accuracy, don't read children's books" (paraphrased)
SO ANYWAY.
Samson meets up with some other disguised diners, like a pseudo moray eel and probably an angler fish who has lost its lantern and another fish that has an underbite made of piano keys (Ok, even I don't understand that one) and they all get the bright idea to run their own restaurant in which scary, fish-eating fish will all be welcome. Except sharks. There are no sharks in this book because I guess they're still too scary.
As far as the story goes, it's ok. I loved the ridiculous exclamations shrieked by the sea turtle, the crab, and the manatuna. The illustrations are bright and friendly - Samson's choppers are just three tusk-like protrusions from his lower jaw making him look not so bitey - though, again, perhaps not accurate. However, the little things, easily unnoticed, charmed me.
See Samson on his unicycle:
See Samson's fashion, sharper than his teeth:
See the family sitting around the bitten TV, post-dinner devouration:
Adorable!
What?
Uh, I don't know. I don't know how many sea piranhas are in the world.
No, I don't know which seas they live in, either. It doesn't say.
Anyway, there's this sea piranha named Samson and he's more adventurous than his fellow sea piranhas who just want to stay home and eat fish.
What?
I'm sure some piranhas eat fish. I don't really know much about them. I never studied them. I don't know much about marine life, in general. Right, or Amazonian river life. Unless I can fish it out of a stream in Colorado, I don't really know much about things that live in water.
Ok, sure, I know a little bit about sea monkeys. I've grown them before. We had one batch that lasted three years! That's pretty good, I think. Otherwise, water dwellers are beyond my depth of knowledge.
So anyway, Samson the sea piranha wants to try new things, especially foods. The problem is, whenever he tries to go to a fancy restaurant, the other ocean fauna freak out, screaming things like Salty mother of mackerel! and Scaly Neptune's crabcakes! or For the love of smoky sea bass!
What?
I don't know how the manatuna (it's like a cross between a manatee and a tuna) knows what smoky anything is. Maybe there was a tin of smoked sea bass that sunk to the bottom of the sea after a shipwreck. Does it matter? It's funny, ok? A manatuna yelling, "For the LOVE of SMOKY SEA BASS!" is hilarious.
ANYWAY. The fishen expostulate and then everyone swims away in terror, yelling, "PIRANHA!" and it makes Samson sad, especially because he starts trying to disguise himself to get into these high end eateries but his plans are always foiled for some reason or another.
What?
Fish disguise themselves all the time. Ask the hermit crab.
No, that's not technically a fish. You know what? Shut up. Let me finish my review and stop nitpicking everything. This is a children's book. As some review-commenter told me kind of recently, "If you're looking for accuracy, don't read children's books" (paraphrased)
SO ANYWAY.
Samson meets up with some other disguised diners, like a pseudo moray eel and probably an angler fish who has lost its lantern and another fish that has an underbite made of piano keys (Ok, even I don't understand that one) and they all get the bright idea to run their own restaurant in which scary, fish-eating fish will all be welcome. Except sharks. There are no sharks in this book because I guess they're still too scary.
As far as the story goes, it's ok. I loved the ridiculous exclamations shrieked by the sea turtle, the crab, and the manatuna. The illustrations are bright and friendly - Samson's choppers are just three tusk-like protrusions from his lower jaw making him look not so bitey - though, again, perhaps not accurate. However, the little things, easily unnoticed, charmed me.
See Samson on his unicycle:
See Samson's fashion, sharper than his teeth:
See the family sitting around the bitten TV, post-dinner devouration:
Adorable!
March 25, 2017
Samson: The Piranha Who Went to Dinner by Tadgh Bentley is a story about Samson, a piranha, who just wants to eat some good food at a fancy restaurant.
He's the only fish who has an interest and so he embarks on a journey to finally visit a fancy restaurant. He has a difficult time disguising himself. Read along in the story to see if Samson finally gets his dream dinner.
The illustrations are great and the story moves at a fast enough pace that children stay interested. We liked the story, but it isn't one of our favorites.
3***
He's the only fish who has an interest and so he embarks on a journey to finally visit a fancy restaurant. He has a difficult time disguising himself. Read along in the story to see if Samson finally gets his dream dinner.
The illustrations are great and the story moves at a fast enough pace that children stay interested. We liked the story, but it isn't one of our favorites.
3***
March 22, 2017
Samson likes to eat fine food but because he's a Piranha other diners are afraid to dine with him. What can poor Samson do besides try to disguise who he is to fit in but each time his disguise fails and he feels left out. Then one day something out of the ordinary happens and Samson discovers he may not be one of a kind after all. Liked the thought behind this original story line but it somehow felt out of place as a picture book. Think this would be best as a one on one read. Illustrations are also well drawn and full of details.
April 6, 2017
First and most important a thank you to Tadgh Bentley for this story. Tony and I both read this book and Enjoyed each page. I also read this to our 2 piranhas who we are blessed to have in our life. Piranhas have such a bad reputation. I'm always searching for anything positive in print. This book is Adorable. We truly enjoy watching both of ours swim around in the tank. Piranhas can be a Blessing when given the chance. Illustrations n colors are refreshing.
May 16, 2017
I always love a good book that teaches my child a lesson and SAMSON, THE PIRANHA WHO WENT TO DINNER is one of them.
Sampson is a piranha who, unlike the other piranhas, wants to eat at a fancy restaurant. The other piranhas think he's strange for wanting to do things out of their norm, but that doesn't deter Sampson. Instead, he stays true to who he is. But since other fish are scared of piranhas and their big teeth, Sampson must wear a disguise.
But when Sampson's disguise fails again and again, he realizes that he isn't the only fearsome fish with big teeth who wants to dine at a restaurant. There are others like him wearing disguises and for once, he isn't alone. The big teethed fish band together to open their own restaurant where their kind will always be welcome.
Final Verdict: I loved this story and how it teaches children that you should always be yourself no matter what others think or say. I also loved that even though Sampson is a piranha, his character isn't scary. The inside flap said it's for ages 4-8, but I think even 2 or 3 year olds will enjoy this story.
Sampson is a piranha who, unlike the other piranhas, wants to eat at a fancy restaurant. The other piranhas think he's strange for wanting to do things out of their norm, but that doesn't deter Sampson. Instead, he stays true to who he is. But since other fish are scared of piranhas and their big teeth, Sampson must wear a disguise.
But when Sampson's disguise fails again and again, he realizes that he isn't the only fearsome fish with big teeth who wants to dine at a restaurant. There are others like him wearing disguises and for once, he isn't alone. The big teethed fish band together to open their own restaurant where their kind will always be welcome.
Final Verdict: I loved this story and how it teaches children that you should always be yourself no matter what others think or say. I also loved that even though Sampson is a piranha, his character isn't scary. The inside flap said it's for ages 4-8, but I think even 2 or 3 year olds will enjoy this story.
October 22, 2018
The best part of this book: the illustrations, the exclamations from the terrified diners, and the message of tenacity and never giving up on a dream. The worst part of this book? Everything else.
October 29, 2018
Charming little story of a piranha who just wants to be able to go to the restaurant without everyone else fleeing for their lives! Thoroughly enjoyable characters and illustrations.
April 22, 2019
“Samson The Piranha Who Went to Dinner” is an endearing story of a piranha who was unlike the rest of the piranha’s in his shoal. He wanted to explore the world and try new things but no one else was interested. When he found out that three fancy new restaurants had opened up nearby, he was so excited! Unfortunately when he arrived at the first one, he discovered that other fish in the sea were terrified of him and he would need to use a disguise to get anywhere near the other two restaurants. As he (unsuccessfully) covers his true self with various beards and wigs, he finds other kindred spirits, scary looking fish who also appreciate fine dining. Together they team up and make their own restaurant where they can be themselves, teeth and all.
This book exemplifies animal fantasy in several ways. Most obviously, there were animal characters acting like humans. Samson disguised himself with costumes and wanted to go to fine dining restaurants. Additionally, this story has a narrative structure with characters, plot and setting. Samson has a problem that is developed over his visit to three restaurants and finally solved at the end with help from his new friends. Although the restaurants were underwater and run by sea creatures, they seem real. Finally, the theme of this story is relevant to the current cultural push to “Be Yourself”. Samson finds happiness once he learns this valuable lesson.
In the classroom, students could practice making predictions during the reading of this book. Will Samson’s disguise work this time? They could also identify the literary elements of character, setting, and plot. Students would have fun acting this out, especially with costumes!
An extension of this book could be in math and science. Students might enjoy making a menu with items at a fine dining restaurant and creating word problems about the customers and their bills. You could also link it to science with a unit on sea life. Students could study piranhas as well as other toothed creatures. They could then write a nonfiction companion book to accompany “Samson The Piranha Who Went to Dinner”.
This book exemplifies animal fantasy in several ways. Most obviously, there were animal characters acting like humans. Samson disguised himself with costumes and wanted to go to fine dining restaurants. Additionally, this story has a narrative structure with characters, plot and setting. Samson has a problem that is developed over his visit to three restaurants and finally solved at the end with help from his new friends. Although the restaurants were underwater and run by sea creatures, they seem real. Finally, the theme of this story is relevant to the current cultural push to “Be Yourself”. Samson finds happiness once he learns this valuable lesson.
In the classroom, students could practice making predictions during the reading of this book. Will Samson’s disguise work this time? They could also identify the literary elements of character, setting, and plot. Students would have fun acting this out, especially with costumes!
An extension of this book could be in math and science. Students might enjoy making a menu with items at a fine dining restaurant and creating word problems about the customers and their bills. You could also link it to science with a unit on sea life. Students could study piranhas as well as other toothed creatures. They could then write a nonfiction companion book to accompany “Samson The Piranha Who Went to Dinner”.
July 4, 2017
Review originally published on my blog,
Nine Pages
.
Tadgh Bentley won my heart with his book, Little Penguin Gets the Hiccups, and won another piece of it when a couple told me that he is a lovely man to talk to as well as having written a wonderful book. Samson is his second. Samson is a piranha with a refined palate. He may even be a foodie. He wants to go to fancy restaurants and try exquisite dishes, but the other piranhas are not interested, and the patrons and employees of those fine restaurants are off-put by his being a piranha with sharp teeth and a cannibalistic reputation. Samson’s disguises aren’t enough to get him service at any of those fine restaurants because they always slip enough to reveal him to be a piranha. At the last restaurant though, not every fish leaves; some are there in disguise too. Samson opens his own restaurant, to cater to those excluded from other establishments based on their appearance—and those with privilege who begin to come in disguise to his restaurant. Where Little Penguin Gets the Hiccups was a truly funny story, made more funny because the reader should fake hiccups through the whole of the text, this is a serious social commentary—masked in a funny tale of a fish. But a fish from whom others run and whom they stereotype, and who can’t get service at a restaurant because of his appearance is not a funny tale; this is a good introduction to how it feels to be discriminated against, how one shouldn’t judge a person—or fish—on their appearance or on the stories told about a group of which that individual is a part. Seeing it as social commentary, I’m not sure how I feel about the privileged fish masking themselves as underprivileged fish, but I’m choosing to perhaps not carry the metaphor as far as it could be taken; it probably isn’t meant to be taken that far, but I recognize where the metaphor could become problematic.
Tadgh Bentley won my heart with his book, Little Penguin Gets the Hiccups, and won another piece of it when a couple told me that he is a lovely man to talk to as well as having written a wonderful book. Samson is his second. Samson is a piranha with a refined palate. He may even be a foodie. He wants to go to fancy restaurants and try exquisite dishes, but the other piranhas are not interested, and the patrons and employees of those fine restaurants are off-put by his being a piranha with sharp teeth and a cannibalistic reputation. Samson’s disguises aren’t enough to get him service at any of those fine restaurants because they always slip enough to reveal him to be a piranha. At the last restaurant though, not every fish leaves; some are there in disguise too. Samson opens his own restaurant, to cater to those excluded from other establishments based on their appearance—and those with privilege who begin to come in disguise to his restaurant. Where Little Penguin Gets the Hiccups was a truly funny story, made more funny because the reader should fake hiccups through the whole of the text, this is a serious social commentary—masked in a funny tale of a fish. But a fish from whom others run and whom they stereotype, and who can’t get service at a restaurant because of his appearance is not a funny tale; this is a good introduction to how it feels to be discriminated against, how one shouldn’t judge a person—or fish—on their appearance or on the stories told about a group of which that individual is a part. Seeing it as social commentary, I’m not sure how I feel about the privileged fish masking themselves as underprivileged fish, but I’m choosing to perhaps not carry the metaphor as far as it could be taken; it probably isn’t meant to be taken that far, but I recognize where the metaphor could become problematic.
March 26, 2018
Summary:
Samson wasn’t like the other piranhas. He was adventurous and wanted to go and explore. He wants to try new things, but no one will try them with him, they just want to stick to the same boring routine day in and day out. Samson then reads that there are fancy new restaurants opening up that he is dying to try. But the only problem is piranhas aren’t allowed. So he dresses up in costumes to try and hide who he really is, but gets caught every time. Until he comes to find out that there are other piranhas who want to eat at fancy restaurants too but can’t. So in the end Samson opens up his own fancy restaurant where everyone can enjoy some fancy foods.
Activity:
What if you were an animal that everyone was afraid of, but all you want to do is fit in. On a poster board, the students will draw an animal that most people would be afraid of and something that animal is dying to do but can’t. Then they will brainstorm some ideas that will help their animal fit in with everyone else. After, they will partner up with someone and share their ideas and together find things that were similar between their two animals.
Citation (APA): Bentley, T. (2017). Samson: The piranha who went to dinner. New York, NY: Balzer Bray, An Imprint of HarperCollins.
Samson wasn’t like the other piranhas. He was adventurous and wanted to go and explore. He wants to try new things, but no one will try them with him, they just want to stick to the same boring routine day in and day out. Samson then reads that there are fancy new restaurants opening up that he is dying to try. But the only problem is piranhas aren’t allowed. So he dresses up in costumes to try and hide who he really is, but gets caught every time. Until he comes to find out that there are other piranhas who want to eat at fancy restaurants too but can’t. So in the end Samson opens up his own fancy restaurant where everyone can enjoy some fancy foods.
Activity:
What if you were an animal that everyone was afraid of, but all you want to do is fit in. On a poster board, the students will draw an animal that most people would be afraid of and something that animal is dying to do but can’t. Then they will brainstorm some ideas that will help their animal fit in with everyone else. After, they will partner up with someone and share their ideas and together find things that were similar between their two animals.
Citation (APA): Bentley, T. (2017). Samson: The piranha who went to dinner. New York, NY: Balzer Bray, An Imprint of HarperCollins.
March 25, 2017
Bentley, Tadgh Samson: the Piranha who went to Dinner. PICTURE BOOK. Balzer + Bray (Harper), 2017. $18.
Samson the Piranha has a much finer palate then the rest of his piranha family. When he ventures out to try the fancy new restaurants, though, his sharo teeth frighten away the diners and the help, no matter how hard he tries to disguise him self. If he is every going to be able to satisfy his taste buds, he’s going to need to be very creative.
Bentley manages to make a piranha adorable! Samson doesn’t succumb to his plight; instead he perseveres and reasons his way though. Utterly charming!
Pre-K, EL (K-3) – ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher.
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...
Samson the Piranha has a much finer palate then the rest of his piranha family. When he ventures out to try the fancy new restaurants, though, his sharo teeth frighten away the diners and the help, no matter how hard he tries to disguise him self. If he is every going to be able to satisfy his taste buds, he’s going to need to be very creative.
Bentley manages to make a piranha adorable! Samson doesn’t succumb to his plight; instead he perseveres and reasons his way though. Utterly charming!
Pre-K, EL (K-3) – ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library Teacher.
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...
November 27, 2019
Miss 5 enjoyed this book about a piranha who feels like he doesn't fit in with the other piranhas. He wants to explore fine food (he even wants to eat vegetables!) and he wants his food to appear on a plate rather than chasing the other creatures. Sadly, no one wants to give him a chance - they are all too afraid. Then Samson meets other toothy creatures who share similar interests and he decides to follow his dreams by opening his own (inclusive) restaurant.
Miss 5 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.
Miss 5 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.
March 8, 2017
Samson might be a scary piranha, but that doesn't mean that he lacks sophistication. He desperately wants to try new things and most of all go to a restaurant. However, the other piranhas don't share his sense of adventure and would rather just do the same old thing. He dons disguise after disguise to get into restaurants, but he is always found out and never gets to enjoy them. Luckily, he finds new friends along the way and they create a solution together. The illustrations feel very Disney-esque with their glossy pages and bright colors. It's a nice story about fitting in even when one is very different.
February 24, 2018
Genre: Fiction picture book
Target audience: Pre-k to second grade
Text-to-self: I can relate this text to myself because it taught me to explore beyond what I am comfortable with. Samson tries many new restaurants and types of foods to broaden his horizon and I would like to do that too.
Text-to-Text: I can relate this text to the movie Finding Nemo. Finding Nemo was my favorite movie as a child and it has a great storyline of bravery just like this text.
Text-to-world: This connection relates to people that stick to their usual pattern, schedule, and food choices. This text can inspire people to be brave and try new things.
Target audience: Pre-k to second grade
Text-to-self: I can relate this text to myself because it taught me to explore beyond what I am comfortable with. Samson tries many new restaurants and types of foods to broaden his horizon and I would like to do that too.
Text-to-Text: I can relate this text to the movie Finding Nemo. Finding Nemo was my favorite movie as a child and it has a great storyline of bravery just like this text.
Text-to-world: This connection relates to people that stick to their usual pattern, schedule, and food choices. This text can inspire people to be brave and try new things.
March 5, 2018
Sumarry
All Piranha wanted was to enjoy dinner at a fancy restaurant where he would not be judged for being a Piranha. But it was not really working. Restaurant after another, they all yelled PIRANHA!! Was it the way he looked or was it his way of style? He still wanted to have a fancy dinner in a restaurant, so he decided that there needed to be a restaurant for Piranha where they would be accepted and could eat all they wanted with out being judged.
Activity
In a journal write, "why we should accept everyone even a Piranha into a restaurant." This shows why being kind can be a good deed.
Citation
Bentley, T. (2017). Samson: the Piranha Who Went to Dinner. Harpercollins Childrens Books.
All Piranha wanted was to enjoy dinner at a fancy restaurant where he would not be judged for being a Piranha. But it was not really working. Restaurant after another, they all yelled PIRANHA!! Was it the way he looked or was it his way of style? He still wanted to have a fancy dinner in a restaurant, so he decided that there needed to be a restaurant for Piranha where they would be accepted and could eat all they wanted with out being judged.
Activity
In a journal write, "why we should accept everyone even a Piranha into a restaurant." This shows why being kind can be a good deed.
Citation
Bentley, T. (2017). Samson: the Piranha Who Went to Dinner. Harpercollins Childrens Books.
Read
April 3, 2018A charming and funny story of friendship, fine dining, and being true to yourself. A story of friendship and acceptance told by a charming piranha who wants nothing more than to try out all the new restaurants under the sea.
Activity
Imagine you were Samson. Journal about how you would feel is no one was allowing you to enter their restaurant or be friends with you? Write about how you feel or what you might do about this situation? What would you do to help Samson feel included and be a friend to him? How can you be nice to people so that Samson doesn’t feel left out?
Citation
Tadgh, B. (2017) Samson: The Piranha Who Went to Dinner. Balzer + Bray
Activity
Imagine you were Samson. Journal about how you would feel is no one was allowing you to enter their restaurant or be friends with you? Write about how you feel or what you might do about this situation? What would you do to help Samson feel included and be a friend to him? How can you be nice to people so that Samson doesn’t feel left out?
Citation
Tadgh, B. (2017) Samson: The Piranha Who Went to Dinner. Balzer + Bray
December 2, 2017
I have to admit when I first started reading this story, I thought it was going to be about getting out in nature and seeing the world. Yes, I had read the title, but the first couple of pages started to take me in a different direction. Like a meandering child, I forgot the title and was heading on a different journey. Once I was back on track, the story is cute and would lend itself well to reading out loud with a group of children. Be prepared for storytime to get a little loud.
I like the illustrations and Sampson is a very likable piranha.
I like the illustrations and Sampson is a very likable piranha.
November 18, 2019
Samson, the Piranha was different compared to the other Piranhas. Samson was adventurous and wanted to try something new for food. He goes on a journey in which he wants to eat at a quality restaurant even though they are not welcomed at some places. The style of font has a different word bubble when characters are speaking to one another. There is a lot of white space that is effectively used throughout book and the deep blue sea is well illustrated. I enjoyed the humanlike emotions that Samson was going through and portrayed throughout the book.
August 22, 2017
This fun picture book tells the story of a piranha who just wants to find someplace where he can be himself and fit in. He's tired of doing the same stuff all the time and always eating the same food. So, when Samson sees that there are several fancy restaurants opening nearby, he really wants to try them out. Young readers will enjoy finding out how Samson is going to get a gourmet meal without scaring everybody in the place out the door.
December 27, 2017
Samson is an unusual piranha who wants to eat unusual things. This leaves him lonely because other piranhas don't share his interests. Unfortunately, restaurant staff are often scared of him. He finds some friends who share his interests and together they open a restaurant.
Good for kids who are having trouble fitting in.
Good for kids who are having trouble fitting in.
December 21, 2017
All Sampson the piranha wants to do is experience some fine dining. But with monstrous teeth and the fearsome reputation of a piranha he just can’t disguise himself long enough to taste “the luscious lilly linguine and the sizzling seaweed sausages.” Persistence and creativity pay off in the end for a piranha who will win your heart.
January 22, 2018
Samson wants to eat at fancy restaurants but the other fish are afraid of him. He keeps trying, and eventually decides to just open his own restaurant. Cute story, with plot. Not really sure what the moral or message is here, but I like the plot. Great for fish, food, disguises, or under-the-sea storytimes.
This one was featured on Readbrightly's 17 Picture Books of 2017.
This one was featured on Readbrightly's 17 Picture Books of 2017.
March 14, 2017
Cute story and illustrations. Fun language.
May 6, 2017
Cute book. About not judging a fish by his breed and not giving up just because you are different . Good story.
May 31, 2017
Very odd. Not sure if children would care at all.
June 22, 2017
Funny and I love the little twist at the end.
August 24, 2017
Pretty cute!! Readers will need to take time to enjoy the illustrations! Lots to see here!!
August 30, 2017
While reading in the classroom, students will certainly enjoy yelling PIRANHA!! like the scared fish.
September 1, 2017
Good message in the story never to judge because your assumptions will get the best of you. And when you can't get it the normal way sometimes you just have to do it yourself.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews