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The Boy Who Swam With Piranhas by David Almond

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The Boy Who Swam With Piranhas

David Almond

Candlewick Press · Paperback · February 24, 2015

Reading lane: Water Sports

“A buoyant, delightfully Almond-ine coming-of-age novel about fish, fate, and family; moonlight, madness, and myth; runts, “Rackanruwin” and, finally, redemption.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) When Stanley Potts’s guardian, Uncle Ernie, develops an unhealthy obsession with fish, Stan has no choice but to strike out on his own.

At a Glance

Why This Clicks

Whimsy With Teeth

A wry, visually playful coming-of-age tale where fish, fate, and family share the same churning waters.

Come here for

  • Eccentric carnival characters and the curious legend of a man who swims with piranhas
  • Almond’s wry wordplay, paired with Oliver Jeffers’s black-and-white illustrations

Expect

  • A quirky tale of striking out on your own and choosing your destiny
  • Moonlit myth and comic oddity, with a thread of redemption

Book Details

Authors
David Almond
Publisher
Candlewick Press
Published
February 24, 2015
Format
Paperback
Theme
Water Sports · Fish Stories
Reading lane
Water Sports

Affinity

Publisher Categories

  • Fish Stories

  • Circus Stories

  • Runaway Stories

About This Book

“A buoyant, delightfully Almond-ine coming-of-age novel about fish, fate, and family; moonlight, madness, and myth; runts, “Rackanruwin” and, finally, redemption.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) When Stanley Potts’s guardian, Uncle Ernie, develops an unhealthy obsession with fish, Stan has no choice but to strike out on his own. Far from the life he knows, he’s welcomed by a carnival of eccentric characters, including the legendary Pancho Pirelli, the man who swims with p...

Read full description

“A buoyant, delightfully Almond-ine coming-of-age novel about fish, fate, and family; moonlight, madness, and myth; runts, “Rackanruwin” and, finally, redemption.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) When Stanley Potts’s guardian, Uncle Ernie, develops an unhealthy obsession with fish, Stan has no choice but to strike out on his own. Far from the life he knows, he’s welcomed by a carnival of eccentric characters, including the legendary Pancho Pirelli, the man who swims with piranhas. Will Stan, too, be bold enough to dive into the churning waters and choose his destiny? Full of wry wordplay and visual whimsy, David Almond’s quirky tale is richly matched by Oliver Jeffers’s black-and-white illustrations.

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