K-Gr 2—A mythical sea creature desperately wants to be accepted despite his fearsome appearance. Among the many scary creatures that inhabit the deep sea, Kraken is the most feared. He's the biggest and makes even giant whales flee in terror. However, under that steely and scary exterior, Kraken just wants a friend. He tries to hide his appearance and trick other creatures of the sea into liking him, to no avail. He throws one of the biggest tantrums under the sea but realizes that it might not be so hard after all to make friends after soliciting advice from another feared underwater creature, the great white shark. Kids who are finding it difficult to make friends will enjoy this funny yet heartfelt story. The message of being true to oneself and not changing for the sake of others will ring true and is never presented in a way that is didactic. Jacobs's digital illustrations are bright and do a fine job of capturing the light reflected on the water. VERDICT Pair this read-aloud with Tadgh Bentley's Samson: The Piranha Who Went to Dinner to highlight the importance of acceptance and finding one's unique path in the world.—Christopher Lassen, BookOps: The New York Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library