Authored, illustrated, and handbound by Keenan Poloncsak, The Fjord Shark is an objet d’art with its embossed cover and paleoart-inspired illustrations. In English, French, Icelandic, and Innu-aimun, this book is a rare example of multilingual kids’ lit – an inspiring model for future storytellers, even if its pages feel a touch crowded. 

The book’s protagonist is Skaluguak, a one-hundred-year-old Greenland Shark, who is taking a holiday in the Saguenay Fjord. After running into some trouble at the end of a hook, he is saved by an even older Greenland Shark, Eqalussuaq, who becomes his friend. A witness to profound marine ecology and cultural changes, Eqalussuaq says she has tales to tell, but she doesn’t get around to it. Perhaps a sequel is in order, so we can hear what Eqalussuaq has to say.

While it’s more educational than entertaining, shark enthusiasts will enjoy learning about this impressive species. A fine example of bookbinding craftsmanship rarely seen in mass-produced editions, The Fjord Shark may also appeal to collectors of handbound volumes.mRb