The Aquanaut (PB)

Description

Ever since her father was lost at sea, Sophia has been moping around Aqualand, a marine theme park. But Sophia's world is turned upside-down when an aquanaut breaks into the park's research lab. To her amazement, Sophia discovers that the aquanaut is not what it seems: inside lives a band of goofy sea creatures! And when they all realise that Aqualand is more sinister than advertised, Sophia is determined to help the aquanaut crew free the park's captive marine life before it's too late.

Dan Santat wrote and illustrated the graphic novel Sidekicks, and has also illustrated many acclaimed picture books, including The Guild of Geniuses and The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, which won the Caldecott Medal. He lives in Alhambra, California, with his family. Visit his website at dantat.com.

"Kinetic panel artwork impresses throughout, with smart pacing that swings between hilarity and suspense." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review "The art in this graphic tale is something special... Santat's vividly expressive visuals are, even more than usual, riveting." -- Kirkus Reviews "An endearing tale of love, loss, and the value of family -- biological and found." -- School Library Journal "Poignant and often funny, The Aquanaut is Santat's triumphant return to the graphic novel genre." -- NPR "A spirited and thrilling story." -- Shelf Awareness "A humorous and heartwarming tale." -- BookPage Praise for Sidekicks: "Hilarious and heartfelt... a charming and well-told tale about friendship." -- Kazu Kibuishi, creator of Amulet "The lovable menagerie of crime-fighting pets offers lots of laughs and a boisterous and exuberant storyline; Santat's illustrations are clear, engaging, and neatly stacked into easy-to-read panels." -- Kirkus Reviews "Lively, insightful, and just plain fun, this convergence of capes and creatures will find a wide audience in animal lovers and superhero fans alike." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books