Reviews- Boats & Books

Snappy The Shark 2 by William Mills- book review

26th August 2018

2101

Snappy The Shark 2 by William Mills is a book ideal for those aged 8 and above which tells of Snappy’s adventures in the Mediterranean during the summer holidays.

In this episode he befriends Bubbles, the baby dolphin and they need to discover where the sardines have gone before hunger sets in and as Snappy’s Uncle Bob says;

‘Dolphin is particularly tasty.’

In chapter two Snappy’s adventures really take off, and here is a treat;

Chapter 2

image of Snappy The Shark 2 — Snappy The Shark 2

Snappy kept a careful eye open for the dolphins.

In an earlier adventure the grown up dolphins guarding the ‘Brotherhood’ had attacked and tried to kill him. His mum had only just turned up in the nick of time.

The Brotherhood are a very strange group, or ‘pod’, of dolphins. Snappy had found most dolphins were friendly. That is so long as he didn’t try to eat them.

But the Brotherhood dolphins swam along with headphones strapped to their heads which played music into their ears.

One of these strange dolphins had told Snappy that it was soothing and made their work easier. That was just before the grown up dolphins had come and chased him away.

His mum had gone and told the dolphins it was cheek because sharks were allowed to fish anywhere they wanted.

The dolphins had replied that this bit of the sea was theirs.

Mummy Shark had pointed out all the fish in the ocean were fair game including dolphins.

The grown up dolphins had said they were working on this bit of the seabed and the sharks could chase fish someplace else.

Mummy Shark had got cross and said she would teach her children a new rhyme;

“Four and twenty dolphins baked in a pie.”

“That attitude won’t help,” replied the first grown up dolphin.

There upon Uncle Bob, who had come along to support Mummy Shark, tried to bite off the dolphin’s tail.

The first grown up dolphin had immediately head butted Uncle Bob and Mummy Shark had to shelter Snappy on one hand, while going to Uncle Bob’s aid on the other.

“Don’t worry about me Mum!” Snappy had shouted. “I’m ready for a dust up!”

His mum had looked at him with both shock and admiration before lunging forward at a grown up dolphin and bringing her teeth snapping shut inches in front of its nose.

At this the dolphins had fled, but the subject of fishing rights in disputed waters remained unresolved.

As Snappy saw the dolphins in the distance he didn’t feel nearly so brave as when Uncle Bob and Mum had been there.

He changed direction and went off to practice chasing fish elsewhere. There must be some around here!

At the moment his mum was still feeding him with dead fish. But he knew the day would come when he would make his first catch.

Snappy swam around in an arc looking down. His radar was picking up two large fish, possibly hostile, closing fast.

He has a very acute sense of smell which enables him to recognise different fish. Also his really sensitive hearing helps to identify the number of fish nearby and how large each one is.

Of course, if a whole shoal of fish were nearby his radar would get overloaded, and simply tell his tummy, ‘lots.’

Hunting was a skill that Snappy was learning a bit at a time with help and lessons from his mum and Uncle Bob.

Looking down he noticed two large dolphins below him. They looked like they were on patrol as they were swimming along all business like. They were neither playing nor hunting for food.

‘Grown-ups,’ thought Snappy.

“Oh no! They have spotted me!” wailed Snappy as he put on a burst of speed.

“All right lad,” called Uncle Bob swimming up. “They won’t trouble us now it’s two on two.”

Snappy felt a thrill at being counted as an equal by his uncle.

“Your mum asked me to keep an eye on you. What with these Brotherhood dolphins around,” said Uncle Bob. “You can’t be too careful, especially with dolphins.”

“What are they up to?” asked Snappy taking up position on Uncle Bob’s flank and swimming along in his slipstream.

“They have been mixing with humans. That’s what they have been doing. No good ever came of that,” said Uncle Bob shaking his head as well as keeping his eye on the two patrolling dolphins.

“We will keep turning in a big circle, because we don’t want those two tailing us,” Uncle Bob said speeding up.

Snappy looked around. Indeed the two grown up dolphins were trying to get behind them so they could sneak up!

“They are trying to force us up to the surface,” explained Uncle Bob sounding breathless. He was starting to swim very fast and Snappy was having trouble keeping up.

“You always want to stay as low as you can and near the bottom. But if we dive now it will slow us and they will be onto us in a jiffy,” said Uncle Bob grimly.

‘What can we do?’ wondered Snappy. The two grown up dolphins were swimming in tight formation. Gosh! Just like he and Uncle Bob were. This was getting exciting!

Then suddenly Uncle Bob changed direction throwing himself and Snappy over onto the opposite tack before heading down.

The grown up dolphins altered course to, and quickly caught up! Snappy hoped Uncle Bob had a plan!