Gilbert the Great

Gilbert the Great is a picture book about a young great white shark and his close friendship with Raymond the remora fish. The two sea creatures spend their days together swimming, playing, and sharing adventures in the ocean. When Gilbert experiences an unexpected change in his life, he must learn to cope with loss and navigate his emotions. His mother helps guide him through this challenging time. This story explores universal themes of friendship, loss, and healing in a way that young children can understand and relate to. The narrative demonstrates how new connections can help us move forward while honoring past relationships.

Readers note this book helps children process grief and loss through Gilbert's story. Parents and teachers use it to discuss death with young children aged 4-8. Readers appreciate: - Simple, clear explanation of friendship and loss - Colorful shark illustrations that aren't scary - Emotional authenticity without being overwhelming - Focus on remembering happy memories - Shows it's okay to feel sad and cry Common critiques: - Some found the death reveal too abrupt - A few parents wished for more spiritual elements - Limited appeal beyond grief/loss discussions Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (207 ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (89 ratings) Book Depository: 4.5/5 (42 ratings) "Perfect for helping my 5-year-old understand loss of a grandparent" - Amazon reviewer "The shark characters make a difficult topic more approachable" - Goodreads review "Would have liked more discussion of what happened to Raymond" - Goodreads review

Just Me and My Dad by Mercer Mayer A story about a father and child spending time together shows the same warmth of friendship bonds found in Gilbert the Great.

Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers The tale of a boy helping a lost penguin return home captures the same themes of unexpected friendship and loyalty.

The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister This underwater story about a fish learning to share with others mirrors the message of friendship in the ocean setting.

The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson Two unlikely sea creatures form a bond through their ocean adventures, reflecting similar themes of marine friendship.

Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff The real-life story of a baby hippo and a tortoise forming an unexpected bond demonstrates the same cross-species friendship theme.

🦈 Great white sharks, like Gilbert in the story, are known to form surprisingly strong social bonds and can maintain friendships with other sharks for years. 🌊 Author Jane Clarke was inspired to write this story after learning how marine animals process grief and loss, a topic rarely addressed in children's literature. 📖 The book has been incorporated into elementary school curriculums to help children cope with the loss of friends who move away or pass away. 🎨 Illustrator Charles Fuge created the shark characters with softer, rounder features than typical shark depictions to make them more approachable for young readers while still maintaining anatomical accuracy. 🤝 The relationship between Gilbert and Raymond (a remora fish) is based on the real symbiotic relationship between sharks and remoras in nature, where remoras help keep sharks clean while receiving protection and food scraps.