SHERMAN'S LAGOON:

In Shark Years I'm Dead

review by

Mike Nappa

SHERMAN'S LAGOON: In Shark Years I'm Dead

by Jim Toomey

(Andrews McMeel Publishing)

BEST FOR: All Ages

READ:

Sherman's Lagoon first appeared in newspapers in 1991. Now, 15 years and thousands of comic strips later, Jim Toomey's surprisingly funny world is still going strong with syndication in over 200 newspapers on five continents. OH, yes, and with the hilarious new compilation book, In Shark Years I'm Dead.

For the uninitiated among you, Sherman's Lagoon takes place in a mythical lagoon down in the South Pacific. The inhabitants of this watery paradise are two great white sharks--Sherman and his wife Megan--a scheming hermit crab named Hawthorne, a book-loving turtle named Fillmore, and a computer nerd adolescent fish they call Ernest. Throw in an occasional battle with a giant squid, a few "hairless beach apes" (human tourists, of course), a jellyfish or two, and you've got a recipe for hours of entertaining reading.

In this latest anthology, Toomey is in fine form, beginning with a visit from the circus (and yes, Hawthorne does get that date with the fire-breathing contortionist) progressing happily through the Ironfish Competition (no surprise--Sherman wins the pie eating portion of that contest!) on to unexpected guffaws of The Casserole That Came To Life and more.

There are too many highlights to name here, but Megan's attempt at hosting a Martha Stewart-style cooking show deserves special recognition. The gradual transformation from a distinctly feminine kitchen to a male-oriented "cooking for bachelors" show is priceless--and even includes an oven explosion for you action fans out there. J Also Hawthorne's ill-fated attempt at running an underwater casino brings home the giggles. (Who knew that mobfish could be so persistent?) And Fillmore's discovery that he's read every single book ever written provides more smiles--and begs the question...does that mean Fillmore has read about his problem in the pages of In Shark Years I'm Dead?

In all, this 15th anniversary collection of Sherman's Lagoon, In Shark Years I'm Dead, is one of the better comic strip offerings of recent years and is easily recommended by those of us here at FAMILYFANS.com. One warning, though: This one's hard to put down, so don't start it if you haven't got time to read for awhile!

THINK:

Sherman's recurring battle is with a giant squid who never seems to go completely away. What kind of recurring battles do you face in this life? How might a sense of humor help you fight those battles?
In what ways are the characters and situations of Sherman's Lagoon similar to the goings on at your home? Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Explain.
What makes you smile? What about you makes God smile?

LIVE:

Imagine you and your family members are characters in Sherman's Lagoon.

Which of you is Sherman? Hawthorne? The others? Are there new characters you must create to join the lagoon society? How does your faith and spirituality show up in this world? And is it OK to laugh at how your faith is lived out in here? In the real world?