Boy vs. Shark

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?Tundra’s Best Books of 2024 as chosen by Kirkus Reviews
One of the Canadian Children's Book Centre's Best Books for Kids and Teens, Spring 2025

PRAISE FOR Boy vs. Shark:

"An authentic and funny look at masculinity and growing pains that resonates across the decades." —STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews

"Gilligan powerfully explores shifting middle-grade friendship, exquisitely illustrating feelings of fear, anxiety, and joy in simple but expressive cartoon artwork." —STARRED REVIEW, Booklist

"This hilarious look into life as a kid in the summer of 1975 is a must-have for any and all middle grade libraries." —STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal

"Perfectly relatable for kids (and/or anyone who has ever been a kid), Gilligan’s Boy Vs. Shark is a fun exploration of childhood fears, anxieties about growing up and how we often start worrying far earlier than we need to." —J. Caleb Mozzocco, School Library Journal

"There are lots of great messages in this book about growing up, making new friends, overcoming fear and self-doubt, connecting with family, forgiveness, and much more." —CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"[A] sweet, funny, and closely observed memoir." —Youth Services Book ReviewsPAUL GILLIGAN writes and draws the syndicated comic strip Pooch Cafe with Andrews McMeel, which runs in over 250 newspapers around the world and has been twice nominated by the National Cartoonist Society for best strip. He is the author-illustrator of the Pluto Rocket series, King of the Mole People and its sequel, Rise of the Slugs. He also has other animated shows in development with Guru Animation and The Cartoon Network. Paul is based in Toronto, Ontario.