The Aquanaut
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Aquanaut is a fantasy graphic novel written and illustrated by Dan Santat, Caldecott-winning author of The Adventures of Beekle and illustrator of many picture books. It tells the story of orphaned girl Sophia and her deceased relative's deep-sea diving suit that walks out of the ocean -- powered by a crab, two octopuses, and a sea turtle -- and a San Diego theme park called Aqualand. There's slapstick violence and a somewhat scary shipwreck.
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What's the Story?
As THE AQUANAUT opens, middle-schooler Sophia desperately needs a topic for the science fair. She gets more than she bargained for when she meets the title character, an animated antique diving suit piloted by a crab, a turtle, and other ocean creatures. Something is fishy at local theme park Aqualand, and Sophia and her new friend mean to get to the sea-bottom of it!
Is It Any Good?
Sometimes it takes only one clever idea to launch a comic, and the setup for this graphic novel is a winner. Creator Dan Santat takes a ridiculous idea and makes it work marvelously, as ocean creatures inhabit a diving suit to rescue a theme park's captive marine life. High-energy hijinks ensue, all choreographed for maximum laughs. Few readers will be able to resist the over-the-top action and heart-tugging quieter moments.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how The Aquanaut uses the tools of the comics medium to tell its story.
What do you think about zoos and animal parks? Should animals be held in captivity?
How do people remember family members who have passed away?
Book Details
- Author: Dan Santat
- Illustrator: Dan Santat
- Genre: Graphic Novel
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Friendship, Great Girl Role Models, Ocean Creatures
- Character Strengths: Compassion, Courage, Teamwork
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Graphix
- Publication date: March 1, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 16
- Number of pages: 256
- Available on: Paperback, Nook, iBooks, Kindle
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: May 12, 2022
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