There's a hint of Gruffalo about the hungry Shark in the Dark. The delightfully playful rhymes and rolling rhythm follow the shark as he chases various potential snacks - mackerel, turtles and flounders amongst them - 'And all of the fishes were flustered and bumbling/"Here comes the shark and his tummy is rumbling"'. A wily squid helps the potential lunch to thwart the shark, with a neat trick. It's revealed first in the pictures, which is a nice touch (and a generous move on the part of the author). An alert child reader will see what is going on, probably before the adult reader sees it, which is the book's main triumph.
Needless to say, the smaller creatures get away without being eaten, but in leaving the shark hungry the book ends with a dilemma. The shark is the main character, appealing in its sparkly-eyed evilness, yet it's left without a meal. It's unsatisfactory - what will become of the shark? Is it going to turn vegetarian? Starve?
The pictures are lively, engaging and colourful, but while the worried-looking fish are sympathetic and appealing it will be a rare child who doesn't really prefer the shark.