Julia and the Shark

by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Tom de Freston (Illustrator)

"Deep beautiful, and true--a classic from cover to cover."
--# 1 New York Times bestselling author Eoin Colfer

There are more secrets in the ocean than in the sky...
 
Ten-year-old Julia loves the mysteries of the ocean and marine biology, just like her scientist mother. Her family is spending the summer on a remote island where her mom is searching for the elusive Greenland shark, a creature that might be older than the trees, and so rare that it’s only been seen a few times.  
 
But the ocean is reluctant to give up its secrets, and Julia tries not to worry as her mother returns disappointed at the end of each day.  
 
Determined to prove that the shark is real, Julia sets off on a quest to find it herself, armed with a set of coordinates, a compass, and her trusty rain jacket.
 
She soon realizes that there are some journeys you shouldn’t go on alone. As Julia comes face to face with the dark and wondrous truths of the sea, she finds the strength to leave the shark in the depths and kick up towards the light.  
 
Through a unique blend of poetic prose and stunning illustrations, Julia and the Shark tells an unforgettable story full of dark depths and starry skies, courage and hope.  

This lyrical, deeply moving middle grade novel about one family’s fierce love and resilience is perfect for starting conversations about mental health and how it’s okay to not be okay.
 

Genres: Middle Grade, Fiction, Mental Health, Contemporary, Childrens, Magical Realism, Family

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 2, 2021

About the author

Kiran Millwood Hargrave is an award-winning writer whose work has been translated into over 30 languages and optioned for stage and screen. Almost Life, her third novel for adults, will be published by Picador (UK) and Summit (US) in March 2026.

Her debut adult novel The Mercies debuted at number one of the The Times bestseller list, was a top-ten Sunday Times bestseller, and was selected for the BBC Radio 2 Book Club and the Richard and Judy Summer Reads. It was a finalist for the prestigious Prix Femina in France, won a Betty Trask Award, and was called 'unquestionably the book of the 2018 London Book Fair' by The Bookseller. The Dance Tree was shortlisted for the HWA Gold Crown Award and picked for the BBC Two Between Two Covers Book Club, as well as Florence + the Machine's Between Two Books Book Club.

Between them, her children's books have won numerous awards including the Wainwright Prize, Children's Book of the Year at the British Book Awards, the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, the Historical Association Young Quills Award, and the Blackwell's Children's Book of the Year. They have been shortlisted for the Kirkus Prize, the Barnes and Noble Award, Jhalak Prize, the Little Rebels Prize, the Branford Boase Award, the Blue Peter Best Story Award, Costa Children's Book Prize, Foyles' Children's Book of the Year, and thrice-longlisted for the Carnegie Award.

Kiran lives in Oxford with her husband, the artist Tom de Freston, their daughter, cats, and usually a litter of foster kittens.

Reviews

[Gavin Hetherington · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely gorgeous middle grade book that explores and examines the emotional depth of Julia, who travels with her parents to stay at a lighthouse so her mother can find an elusive shark. Coupled with gorgeous illustrations by Tom de Freston, this is a cinematic visual experience that I think will be very important for those dealing with mental health. One of the best middle grade books I've read that deals with real issues, and I knew Kiran Millwood Hargrave had the talent to pull off such a huge feat.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purely picked this up based on what it looked like (I was able to take a peek inside). But the story was definitely worth it, too!

Julia is 10 years old and has moved to the Shetland islands with her parents over the summer because her mother wants to find a Greenland Shark. Julia loves language more than numbers (something she and I have in common) and therefore narrates this story beautifully.
What starts out as an adventure and a few quirky weeks of living in a lighthouse soon turns dark. Why? Well, I don't want to spoil too much but her mother's obsession with the shark and mental health issues take center stage here. Though science and the importance of nature for us humans are also explored in a very nice (non-preachy) way.

I've heard that this is a middle-grade book and can honestly say that it will probably allure to many middle graders and explain complicated topics to them brilliantly. However, the author's writing style as well as the narrative itself are of the kind that can't really be placed in a box and labelled so this will definitely be fantastic for old(er) readers as well. As a matter of fact, if I had to categorize it, I'd put it up there with A Monster Calls though what exactly happens to the children is quite different.

Moreover, the hardcover edition is just stunning what with Tom de Freston's black-and-white illustrations that have yellow highlights popping out. See for yourselves:



One of those coincidental finds that changes a reader and their world and which I want to thrust at people to read.

[_och_man_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeden z moich ulubionych plot-twistów ma miejsce wtedy, gdy grupa docelowa książki zmienia się na moich oczach. Gdy zaczynam mieć poważne obawy, czy to faktycznie dobry wybór dla młodocianych. I gdy w całych tych moich wątpliwościach jestem bardziej niż zachwycona.

Już po pierwszych stronach gotowałam się na historię, która zepchnie czytelnika na samo dno emocjonalnego oceanu. Czy to kwestia drzemiącej gdzieś wewnątrz mnie talassofobii, czy też zręczne operowanie słowem (i tworzonym przezeń klimatem) - coś sprawiło, że kilka godzin po lekturze nadal czuję się, jakbym dryfowała na niespokojnych falach.

[Mathew · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's 6 stars.

I wanted to write reams and reams on this incredible little creation (you have to get it in hardback as I suspect some of its vitality will be lost in any other version). I just loved it and it's one book whose thoughts and meanings, rarely, I want to keep to myself. I will say one thing and that is that it was a deep pleasure to read a children's book with a loving and compassionate father. Thank you.

[Manybooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yes, my two star review for Julia and the Shark (2021) appears to generally be rather amongst the minority here. However (and no, I am actually not all that sorry either), I personally just have not really enjoyed Julia and the Shark all that much or rather I should say that I have been unable to in particular appreciate the combination of Kiran Millwood Hargrave's text and Tom de Freston's accompanying images for one major and all encompassing reason. For while textually speaking, Millwood Hargrave's presented story for Julia and the Shark is for the most part sufficiently engagingly penned, features generally decently developed and in depth characters (although that admittedly I as an academic with multiple advanced university degrees do tend to find the mathematician father and biologist mother rather one sidedly stereotypical and kind of a bit like the proverbial mad and obsessed scientists in scope), shows interesting and readable details regarding mathematics and zoology (and for the zoology angle in the form of the Greenland shark of the book title) and also tackles some pretty heavy duty topics such as bullying, mental health challenges and that university based scientists are often in need and in search of external funding (which does not always materialise for a variety of sometimes very arbitrary and frustrating reasons), I really do majorly despise one aspect of de Freston's artwork for Julia and the Shark vehemently and with an almost palpable feeling of personal rage. Because and come on, although it becomes textually clear that in Julia and the Shark main protagonist and first person narrator Julia is being shown by author Kiran Millwood Hargrave as quite regularly and constantly being bullied at school and shamed primarily because she is not skinny, because she is rather plump and portly, why then are ALL the illustrations of Julia showing a thin and almost scrawny individual? And honestly, for Tom de Freston to draw, to depict Julia as someone who does not physically appear to be having a body weight issue, well, for and to me and as someone who has never been skinny, who has struggled with obesity all of her life and was also often bullied at school by both classmates and especially by sadistic physical education teachers, sadly, what de Freston's pictures of Julia in Julia and the Shark tell me is that while it might be fine and acceptable to write about someone who has body weight issues and is facing harassment etc. because of this, it is obviously still NOT alright to physically and visually depict the bullied victim as being physically large, that it is obviously still shameful and too problematic and "disgusting" to show obese children in illustrations even if the text, even if the writing does this, does write about and verbally describe children being fat shamed and the like. And frankly, I (and very much personally) totally find this aspect of Julia and the Shark majorly problematic, a huge and hypocritical dual standard and so incredibly uncomfortably annoying and infuriating that I really and truly cannot and will not consider more than a two star rating for Julia and the Shark (and yes, basically ONLY because of my above mentioned aesthetic issues with and aversions to the artwork, since without Tom de Freston's pictures, I probably would consider Julia and the Shark as likely a thigh three star reading experience but that the illustrations and de Freston basically depicting Julia as being thin while within the text proper of Julia and the Shark she is shown by Kiran Millwood Hargrove as chubby and experiencing bullying because of this, this just so utterly and totally and totally rubs me the wrong proverbial way).

[Brona's Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written and designed book by a very creative and clever wife/husband team.

Julia's voice is instantly engaging as we go on a journey with her family to Unst, part of the Shetland Islands off Scotland, in search of a rare and very special shark.

The story features a lighthouse, star-gazing, friendship, bullying, numbers, environmental concerns, bipolar disorder and a murmuration. But it is the nature writing woven into the story that makes this book so special. Julia, her family and friends remind us all of the wonder and awe that nature can evoke if we only care to look and take note. Whether, it's the stars, or birds, or the ocean, nature can move us, astound us, and heal us.

Every single word in this story is perfect, the tone is spot on and Julia's voice feels authentic from start to finish. Tom de Freston's illustrations and design not only complements the story but adds to the reading experience. A glorious package.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could see this becoming a modern children’s classic. Julia and her parents (and not forgetting the cat, Noodle) are off on an island adventure to Unst, in the north of Shetland, where her father will keep the lighthouse for a summer and her mother, a marine biologist, will search for the Greenland shark, a notably long-lived species she’s researching in hopes of discovering clues to human longevity – a cause close to her heart after her own mother’s death with dementia. Julia makes friends with Kin, a South Asian boy whose family run the island laundromat-cum-library. They watch stars and try to evade local bullies together. But one thing Julia can’t escape is her mother’s mental health struggle (late on named as bipolar: “Mum sometimes bounced around like Tigger, and other times she was mopey like Eeyore”). Julia thinks that if she can find the shark, it might fix her mother.

Hargrave treats the shark as both a real creature and a metaphor for all that lurks – all that we fear and don’t understand. It and murmurations of starlings are visual motifs throughout the book, which has a yellow and black colour scheme. It’s as beautifully illustrated as it is profound in its messages. Julia is no annoyingly precocious child narrator, just a believable one who shows us her struggling family and the love and magic that get them through.

Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.

[Renee Godding · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

"My name is Julia. This is the story of the summer I lost my mum, and found a shark older than trees. Don't worry though, that doesn't spoil the ending."

Julia and the Shark is a stunning middle-grade novel about family, friendship, compassion, and coming of age, and the ripples of a chronic mental health condition throughout all of it.
Ten-year-old Julia has followed her parents to a remote lighthouse for the summer; her dad for work, and her marine-biologist mother on a determined mission to find the elusive Greenland shark. When her mother's obsession threatens to submerge them all, Julia finds herself on an adventure across dark depths and rocky seas, but with a lighthouse of hope on the horizon...

Although my expectations where high, I'm happy to say that this story met them head on! It's one of those stories that transcends its age-demographic and moves straight into instant-classic territory. It's emotional journey for all ages, and honestly the kind of book I hope to see parents read, by themselves, or preferable together with their child. The story is a wonderful starting-point for meaningful conversations, yet stands powerful enough on its own not to require explanation for its emotional resonance.
Although the themes are very different, this reminded me a little about one of my all-time favourite books A Monster Calls, with its honest and heartwrenching exploration of a difficult theme through the eyes of a child, coupled with hauntingly beautiful illustrations. That comparison alone is some of the highest praise I can give a book, if you know my feelings on the former. Extra credit goes to Tom de Freston, who's credited as the secondary author, but whose illustrations add an integral level of depth to the story.

Highly recommend, whether you're a child, adult, parent, or anything in between.

[Corn8lius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julia, 12 ans, quitte les Cornouailles pour les îles Shetland. Elle et ses parents vont s'installer dans un phare pour l'été. En effet, sa mère, biologiste marine, est en quête du Requin du Groenland...

Julia et le requin, c'est un récit touchant et profond, destiné aux jeunes mais qui peut être lu et apprécié par les adultes. On y parle de nature, d'amour, d'amitié, de famille, de santé mentale, et de bien d'autre choses.
C'était bien, c'était beau, aussi bien sur le fond que la forme.
Lisez-le !

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Netgalley audiobook
german and english review

Das Buch hat mich echt überrascht aber auf eine richtige gute Art und Weise.
Es war düsterer, die Themen heftiger als ich erwartet hatte, aber es war auch so ein wichtiges Thema.

Es sind um die 200 Seiten aber es hatte wirklich alles, eine wunderschöne Geschichte, tolle Charaktere, eine großartige Familiendynamik und eine richtig schöne Freundschaft.

Das Thema um mentale Gesundheit fand ich wirklich richtig gut geschrieben und mit Respekt behandelt.

Ich hab das Hörbuch heute in einem Rutsch durchgehört, es war wirklich spannend, interessant und einfach nur wunderschön; ich kann es nur empfehlen. Wie immer Triggerwarnungen checken, bevor ihr es startet.

***

This book really surprised me but in a really good way.
It was much darker and the themes so much more intense than I expected, but it's an important topic.

It's around 200 pages, but it had everything, a beautiful story, great characters, a wonderful family dynamic and such a beautiful friendship.

The themes around mental health were really well written and handled with so much respect and care.

I listened to the whole book in one go cause I couldn't stop myself, it was intense, super interesting and just overall beautiful; I highly recommend it. Like always, check the trigger warnings first, please.

[Hally · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

So so lovely. This is the first middle-grade book I've read showing the moment a child realises their parents are just people with struggles and flaws of their own. Honestly a gorgeous book that doesn't shy away from mental health representation and yet is sensitive, appropriate for children, warm and hopeful. I love Julia's voice throughout, and the way she sees the world. Her journey to finding and defining herself as separate from her mum who she adores is refreshing. The illustrations are of course gorgeous too, although I do wish Julia was drawn as the chubby heroine Milwood Hargrave implies her to be!

I recommend this book to all ages, especially if you enjoy a child narrator. As a slice-of-life reader I loved how everyday life was detailed here (the lighthouse, Noodle the cat, dad's cupboard risotto) but Milwood Hargrave surprised me by then veering into just as compelling a story of action and adventure. Buy it, read it, gift it, you won't regret it.

[Lisanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous (both visually and content-wise), heart-rending story. Think this is my favourite middle grade novel I have read so far. The topic of mental health is discussed in such a realistic, open way and although this straightforwardness made the story feel very intense, I think the fact that there is no sugarcoating or stigmatisation of mental health is going to be helpful to any child (and even adults) reading this story.

Also: I love animal sidekicks like Noodle 🍜🐱

[Bregje · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved how the topic of mental health was approached, showing the real impact that it can have without taking away from the love that both Julia's parents feel for her. I also really felt like Julia was so believable as a kid, often being aware of things without really understanding them. And her observations about the grown-up world are hilarious! I do feel like the story wrapped up a little too quickly and neatly, as pretty much everything was suddeny okay again. But other than that, this was a lovely read.

[Lāsma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grāmata, kurā ieelpa sajūk ar izelpu un otrādi, ja vien spēj iejusties Džūlijas sajūtās.
Kāds izcils pārītis dzīvē, viens raksta, otrs zīmē ir radījuši skaistu stāstu par zinātniekiem un to izpētes objektiem, par bērniem un vecākiem, par sevis atrašanu, par drosmi, par domubiedriem, par dabu. Viens otru lieliski papildinājuši - vārds papildina zīmējumus un otrādi. Un tās caurspīdgīgās lapas ik pa laikam, vienreizēji!
Grāmatā centrālais izpētes objekts ir Grenlandes haizivs gan kā dzīvs dabas veidojums, gan kā metafora.
"Kā viņas var nozīvot var nodzīvot līdz tādam vecumam?
"Viņas ir lēnas", mamma sacīja. [...] "Tās kustas lēni, un arī lēni noveco. Tās it kā apmāna laiku."(14.).
Saka, ka bruņurupuči ilgi dzīvojot un tie ir arī lēni - lūk, ilgmūžības noslēpums :).
Cik meistarīgi raksniece ietērpj abstraktās lietas. "Atcerieties, es iepriekš minēju, ka vārdos ir telpa? Nu, akcentos ir veselas mājas."(30.) "Tētis klausījās tik vērīgi, ka tas bija sadzirdams, jūs jau zināt, kā tas ir, kad kāds tik ļoti koncenrējas, ka var sajust viņa uzmanības balto troksni."(108.)
"Mamma teica, ka zinātniekiem vissvarīgākais ir klausīties un sazināties, jo tu nekad nezini, kad kāda cita idejas liks tev mainīt pašam savas"(51.) Īstenībā, pēc profesionāļu izteikumiem, komunikācija sākas ar klausīšanos nevis runāšanu. Vērtība, ko vērts ikdienā atcerēties.
Grāmatas beigās ir PVN: info par rakstniekiem, uzziņas avoti par tā kā rūpēties par dabu un skaidrojums par bipolāriem traucējumiem. Kuram no grāmatas varoņiem tādi bija, neteikšu....:), arī galvenā varone stāsta savu stāstu ar piebildi "taču neuztraucieties, beigas es jums neatklāšu."

[LUNA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es un viaje bastante intimo el que nos ofrece, aunque no se muy bien a que publico esta destinado, se supone que ha partir de 10 años, y esta es la edad de nuestra protagonista que nos contará la vida y problemas familiares que sucedieron cuando fueron un verano a buscar un tiburones de Groenlandia. Ya que su madre es bióloga marina y su padre iba a trabajar en el faro para actualizarlo. Trata el bullying infantil y trastornos mentales como la bipolaridad, y lo hace de tal forma que cualquier personita lo entienda y lo asimile, para entrar en materia de tales conceptos esta muy bien.
Le cuesta arrancar pero es para que entendamos todo el proceso que vive la familia. El libro esta bien, sin mas.
La edición, eso si, es una pasada, muy cuidada y además ilustrada por Tom de Freston. Son ilustraciones sencillas pero acompañan a la perfección la historia y hace que sea mas bonita.

[Patricia | booksbypatries · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een boek met een ontzettende mooie boodschap ❤️ Ook een realistische kijk op het leven m.b.t. mental health issues en wat dit allemaal voor impact kan hebben binnen één gezin.

Hier en daar wat kritische puntjes. Bv. in het boek wordt Julia gepest en uitgescholden voor 'whale', terwijl zij geillustreerd is als een meisje met een slank(er) postuur. Vooropgesteld: iedereen is goed zoals hij of zij is! Maar, ik denk dat er hierdoor een verkeerd beeld kan ontstaan over hoe men eruit hoort te zien.

[Jade Ratley · Rating 4 out of 5]

7.57 on CAWPILE

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skaistākā pēdējos gados lasītā grāmata.

[Aija · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5*
Lieliska, aizkustinoša, skaista un svarīga.

[Nadja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartfelt story that deals with important issues accompanied by vivid illustrations. Simply wonderful.

[Saar The Book owl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful middle grade book where the illustrations deserves equal credits as the story. The illustrations are so in balance with the grey, black and yellow colors.
'Julia and the shark' tells the story of Julia and her parents on a quest to find the Greenland Shark. Julia looks up to her mother in search of finding the shark. But bit by bit she discovers that there's something 'off' with her mother. She can't put her finger on what it is exactly, but the balance is gone. It's called 'Bipolar Disorder' what Julia's mother has and in a way Julia wants to make her mother better by finding the shark herself. She looks in awe to her mother, but gradualy she learns that she doesn't need to look like her mother or her father, that it is okay to have both the words that her mother likes and the numbers that her father likes. She has a bit of both in her, but a lot of herself.
This little gem is a book about mental issues, mental health, friendship, bullying, adventure, love and caring for the environment. And of course about cats: Noodle is a cat who has her rightful place in the family and the story.
One of the most beautiful and compelling middle grade books I've read so far.

[GG_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the definition of 🎵🎶AND IT WAS ALL YELLOW🎶🎵

I cried, I rejoiced and I felt all the feels. This author doesn’t miss (with books or the shots to my heart)
This was so beautiful from the writing to the story to the pictures (drawn by the authors husband btw, what a duo!)

[Charlotte (The Writers' Crown) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm sick today so re-read this as a comfort read. Still as wonderful the second time round.

Superb. One of my favourite books I've read this year. The hardcover edition is also gorgeous.

[BookishStitcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story really touched my heart. It's a beautifully told story of family, friendships, discovery, and mental illness. The mental illness representation is also done really well.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grāmata - mākslas darbs. Gan vizuāli, gan tekstā. Balti, melni dzeltenajās ilustrācijās lēni riņķo haizivs - ūdenī, zvaigznēs, putnos, sapņos, zem gultas, pierakstu kladē, ilgās. Dažas caurspīdīgās lapas piedāvā papildus leņķi, kā lūkoties uz notiekošo. Gluži tāpat kā ieskats galvenās varones Džūlijas zemapziņas plūsmā/sapņos katras nodaļas beigās.

Viena vasara uz nomaļas salas. Džūlijas mamma, trakā zinātniece (visos aspektos) meklē Grenlandes haizivi. Džūlijas tētis mēģinot automatizēt bākas uguni, mēģina savilkt kopā ne tikai sapiņķerētos vadus, bet arī savas ekscentriskās sievas plānus ar ģimenes realitāti. Džūlijas kaķis Nūdele dara visas parastās kaķu lietas. Un ko Džūlija? Džūlija mēģina iedraudzēties ar vietējiem, viņa mēģina nepazaudēt mammu, kas slīd līdzi haizivij - arvien tālāk, arvien dziļāk, viņa mēģina arī saprast tēti un viņa ciparus, kalkulētās izvēles un atbildību.

Grāmatas episkais noslēgums, aina ar metaforisko mammas mēteli un to, kā dzīles pašas palīdz izcelties, man ļoti atgādināja filmu Whale Rider (varbūt būtu jāsaka grāmatu The Whale Rider, bet neesmu lasījusi). Būs jānoskatās vēlreiz!

Vienīgais, kas nedaudz slāpēja sajūsmu, bija tulkojums. Vai tikai man likās, ka vietām tas ir neērts, reizēm vārdu secība šķiet nedabīga? Un nedaudz žēl, ka grāmatas beigās nav solītie "turpmāk minētie" avoti, kur meklēt palīdzību, ja saskaramies ar garīgām vai emocionālām problēmām. Gan jau izdevējam nebūtu pārāk grūti ielikt dažas mājas lapu adreses un telefona numurus, kur vērsties, kad paliek pavisam grūti.

Neatceros, cik Džūlijai gadu. Noteikti pietiekami maz, lai visas viņas gudrības liktos vecumam nedaudz neatbilstošas. Bet šoreiz mani tas netraucēja ne mazākā mērā.

Mamma teica, ka zinātniekam vissvarīgākais ir klausīties un sazināties, jo tu nekad nezini, kad kāda cita ideja liks tev mainīt pašam savas.

[Aija Puriņa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stāsts pelēkās nokrāsās par ģimeni ar desmitgadīgu meiteni Džūliju, kas mammas un tēta darba darīšanās dodas uz pasaules nomali, lai pavadītu vasaru bākā un mēģinātu atrast ļoti senu haizivi.
Sākumā lasījās lēni, bet kļuva arvien interesantāk.
Pirmkārt, stāsts ir par ģimeni, mentālo veselību, draudzību, nedraudzību un noteikti sevis izprašanu.
Otrkārt, grāmata ir jaudīgi izveidota. Vizuāli burvīga! Autores vīrs ir mākslinieks, kas grāmatas pelēkajos un dzeltenajos toņos ir izpaudies lieliski! Jūra, putni, lietus, vētra, lukturi, kuteris, dzeltenais mammas lietusmētelis un mistiskā zivs..
Treškārt, bērna jūtu atainojums. Sevis sapludināšana ar mammu, sevis vainošana, pārdzīvojumi ar vienaudžiem, līdzāspastāvēšana vecāku pasaulei, bet vēlāk apzināta sevis pašas meklējumu sākotne. Tas viss attēlots poētiski papildināts ar dramatiskiem pavērsieniem.
Skaists stāsts ar skandināvisku noskaņu un dziļu būtību.

[De Grote Vriendelijke Podcast]

Een psychologisch sterk opgebouwde roman over Julia en haar ouders, die op expeditie vertrekken naar één van de Shetlandeilanden. Een verhaal vol avontuur, fantasie en emotie, waarin Julia's ongerustheid over haar moeders psychische gezondheid toeneemt. Bijzonder vormgegeven en geïllustreerd door Tom de Freston. Vertaald door Maria Postema en uitgegeven bij Ploegsma. Vanaf 11 jaar.
We bespreken het boek in de 90ste aflevering van De Grote Vriendelijke Podcast. Luister nu via Spotify, je podcast-app of https://degrotevriendelijkepodcast.nl...

[Vierka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Júlia je smelá ako jej matka a aj chcela byt ako ona: odvážna a veselá, nie ako otec, ktorý miluje logiku a čísla a často robí nezaujímavé a nudné veci.
Ale nakoniec ani tá otcova povaha nie je zlá, lebo v ťažkých chvíľach, kedy mama život nezvláda je práve on, ktorý je im oporou.
Kniha je plná ťažkých tém, ale aj tie patria k životu.
Šikana, smútok, duševná choroba a nebezpečenstvo sa dajú zvládnuť, keď máš okolo seba ľudí, ktorí ta môžu podržať.

[Jude (NovelReader13) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5🌟

Julia and the Shark is a deep dive into the emotional world of a 10 year old girl. It handles mental illness in a very delicate way and does a beautiful job of showing it through the child's perspective. How attuned Julia has become to the moods of her parents even though she doesn't have a full understanding of what's going on felt particularly authentic.
Furthermore, Tom de Freston's illustrations perfectly capture the atmosphere of the story and writing style.



Trigger/content warnings:
• bipolar disorder
• attempted suicide (mentioned)
• bullying
• near drowning

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somewhere between the ocean waves and the lighthouse surprises, there’s home for me I felt while reading this short middle grade book.

There are so many quotable lines right from the first chapter. I was itching to spread some Kiran Millwood Hargrave magic lines but I was reading an advance reader copy so had to control myself.

This is the story of a little girl whose parents are the most adventurous ones, who are living their dreams at their best. Until the little girl tries to grow up and tries her best to live her mother’s unfinished search for a creature that’s rarer and older than the oldest trees!

The writing is purely lyrical and so beautiful. It got me dreaming at times about the beautiful nature during the read. I am so grateful for this! It’s been years I haven’t have been this invested, getting lost in my own head reading a good book.

The best parts for me would be the little facts and the amazing descriptions about what it is like to be out there exploring the oceans, the wildlife and that too with your family. It felt so good and I really wish it was me with my family there.

I appreciate the multicultural representation and I love the young characters so much. They seem so real! Their voices represent their actual ages quite accurately and I applaud the author for developing these characters so convincingly.

Love Neeta, Kin and Noodle too! They mean so much for Julia.

What would stand out when the physical copy comes out?
The pages! Every page with the prettiest tiny colourful details! And you will find pages with full page illustrations too!
The artist has done a great job. It makes the reading experience a different unique one.

You will be in for a surprise with a few pages with verses. I love them so much! And I cried reading them. You will know why…

The second half broke me. It’s going to be a while while Julia and I are going to grieve about someone we love.

Trigger warnings for suicide, losing a family member.

Thank you, Union Square Kids/ Sterling Publishing, for the advance reading copy.