Steve, Terror of the Seas

Brewis (Henry and Boo) pairs the frightening and the less-so to comedic effect in this story about a tiny oceanic terror. Friendly Steve isn’t a particularly big fish (“about 12 inches”) and his teeth aren’t all that sharp, but he claims that “everyone under the sea is afraid” of him. Over several spreads, readers see small fish, big fish, “fish who are not fish,” even humans escape the water when Steve is nearby (“get out of the water!” shouts a panicked swimmer in a red swim cap). Steve is sure there are scarier fish in the sea: the “poisonous pufferfish,” for example, and the viperfish, with its frightening fangs. But one aquatic animal isn’t scared of Steve: his best friend George, a large shark. They’re such good friends, it is revealed, they “go EVERYWHERE together.” Brewis ends the humorous tale with facts about pilot fish like Steve and the mutual relationship they develop with sharks (“Sharks even allow pilot fish to clean their teeth!”). Young readers will enjoy eyeing the colorful array of fleeing ocean creatures, and repeat readers will relish finding George lurking somewhere on almost every page. Ages 4–8. [em](Mar.) [/em]