Boy vs. Shark
Boy vs. Shark by Paul Gilligan is a middle-grade graphic memoir published by Tundra on October 15, 2024. This 240-page book explores themes of boyhood and toxic masculinity through the lens of a young boy’s summer adventures in 1975. As ten-year-old Paul navigates the pressures of friendship and societal expectations, he finds himself grappling with fear and self-identity, particularly in the wake of the film Jaws, which becomes a pivotal influence on his experiences.
Readers will find a humorous yet insightful narrative that delves into adolescence and the challenges of growing up. The story follows Paul as he deals with the expectations of masculinity while trying to maintain his interests, such as comic books and playful antics with his best friend, David. The presence of the shark serves as a metaphor for the pressures boys face, making this graphic memoir a relatable exploration of social themes within the context of juvenile fiction.
Official synopsis Publisher
A hilarious middle-grade graphic memoir about boyhood, toxic masculinity and a shark named Jaws. For fans of Guts and New Kid.
In the summer of 1975, 10-year-old Paul Gilligan doesn’t have a whole lot to worry about other than keeping his comic books untarnished, getting tennis balls off roofs and keeping up with the increasingly bold stunts of his best friend, David.
And then Jaws comes to town.
Suddenly everyone is obsessing over this movie about a shark ripping people to pieces. And if you haven’t seen it, not only are you missing out, you’re also kind of a wimp.
Needless to say, Jaws leaves young Paul a cowering mess, and underlines the growing gap between him and David as well as the distance between where he stands and the world’s expectations of a boy’s “manliness.”
And when Jaws himself becomes a kind of macho Jiminy Cricket for Paul, what is a scared and overwhelmed boy to do?
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