Author: Cerrie Burnell
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Details: £6.99, paperback, 240pp
ISBN: 9780192767547
The Girl with the Shark’s Teeth transports the reader to a watery world of mystery and suspense. Minnow, the central character, is a spirited girl, more at home in the sea than on land. From the very beginning of the story, the reader knows that Minnow is “different”, but it is this difference that gives her her strength and skills to tackle the challenges that lie ahead. When her mother is suddenly taken, Minnow finds herself alone with only her faithful dog for company. She must sail the oceans on a quest to solve the mysteries of a world lying deep below the surface, in order to help her mother. Along the way, she experiences a magical world of mermaids, sharks and sea myths and makes a new friend. When she takes on the challenge of entering the “Wild Deep”, she finds out more about herself and her family history than she could ever have imagined.
This book will offer a challenging read to confident readers aged 10-plus. It will particularly appeal to girls as Cerrie Burnell has provided readers with a strong female character, who will inspire with her determination and courage. However, boys will also be fascinated with the tales of an underwater world and are soon likely to be in awe of Minnow. Many readers will be able to identify with the feeling of being “different”, of not fitting in, and this story should encourage them in its celebration of this difference. Minnow is a “girl of two worlds”.
Throughout the tale, she must solve the mystery of the “Wild Deep” and, in doing so, is able to find out who she really is and who she wants to be.
Cerrie Burnell has succeeded in her desire to write a novel for children who, for many reasons, haven’t traditionally been able to relate to fairy tales of princes and princesses, pirates and mermaids. It’s a beautiful, magical tale that any young person will enjoy; an old-fashioned adventure story that will fire up the imaginations of all.
Andrea Donnelly is the deputy headteacher at Hollymount School in Worcester
Pupil reviews: ‘A good mystery novel’
The Girl with the Shark’s Teeth is a book is about a girl who loves the sea and water. She learns that she is the daughter of the gatekeeper of the Wild Deep. But when she finds out, her life changes. Minnow was a good name for the character because she belongs to the sea. She is a strong, girl character and I liked her. I really enjoyed the story-within-the-story parts - it helped to tell you more about Minnow and her family history.
I think this book is for people who love to read a good mystery novel. It was a long story, but I really wanted to find out what happened.
Muskarn, aged 10
In the story there is a girl with shark’s teeth. She loves to go into the sea. I did enjoy reading it but found the book quite difficult to understand in places. I think that it is more suitable for older children.
Skye, aged 11
Minnow is different from other girls in many ways: the pale scars behind her ears and the silver teeth in her smile. When her mother gets captured by three men, it’s her job to save her. Sailing to her grandmother’s house in Iceland, Minnow saw a boy who looked in need of her help. She rushed to his aid. Minnow later found out that he would accompany her on a trip to the Wild Deep. If you’re interested in books about mermaids and the mystical deep, this is the book for you!
Lauren, aged 11
I would recommend this story to people who like reading about adventures. It wasn’t really the type of story I usually read - I like magical stories with wizards and spells. This book is set in the water and I’m not familiar with stories of sea creatures, so at times I found it difficult. I thought the character Minnow was very brave and it was good reading about how she solved problems. It was amazing how confidently she was able to swim in the sea and gradually the story told you how she was able to do this.
Xsara, aged 11
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