Link + Hud: Sharks and Minnows

Gr 3-7–Brothers Link and Hud are back with another imagination-fueled adventure, this time, with an aquatic twist. After their overactive imaginations lead to the indefinite closure of their beloved community pool, the boys set their sights on the local indoor pool. However, their mischief follows them inside, and it isn’t long before they’re causing trouble and terrorizing pool-goers again. But when the local swim coach challenges them to try out for the indoor swim team, the brothers must find a way to channel their boundless creativity into making swimming both fun and manageable. The book alternates between formats, utilizing prose for the boys’ everyday life and switching to comics when their imaginations take the storytelling reins. Black-and-white illustrations transport readers into Link and Hud’s fantasy world, transforming them into anything from seafaring pirates to monster-fighting kaiju. Spot illustrations featured in the prose visually portray the boys’ reality, cleverly adding humorous contrast to snap readers out of the siblings’ immersive daydreams. While there are some nods to the previous book, such as their former babysitter Layla being the lifeguard at the outdoor pool, this volume stands on its own. Link, Hud, and their family are Black; their swim coach is white.