Formerly Shark Girl

Formerly Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham, 341 pages

This book told in verse is the sequel to Shark Girl.  The story of Jane, who lost her arm in a shark attack a year ago, is told from Jane’s perspective.  Jane is still struggling with some aspects of her life.  Since the accident she has considered becoming a nurse instead of an artist.  She is struggling with pain in the stump of her missing arm, but afraid that it may be more than just regular phantom pain.  She is still struggling to draw and paint with her left hand and feels that her work isn’t as good as it used to be.  She is also interested in dating, but isn’t sure she’s interested in the boy who seems to be interested in her.  Honestly, this is really just a story about a teen dealing with regular life and the choices that come with growing up.  Although some of the book is about her missing arm, teens will be more likely to see themselves in Jane and less likely to focus on the difference of her missing limb.  Teens that like novels in verse will probably like this book a lot.