Cartoonist Kate Beaton joins us to celebrate February’s best books.

On this episode of Fully Booked, we’re highlighting some of the most anticipated titles of February 2025. First, in a special editors’ segment, Laurie Muchnick, John McMurtrie, Mahnaz Dar, and Laura Simeon join us to discuss some of their top picks in books for the month. Then, I’m joined by author/illustrator Kate Beaton to discuss her funny, fierce new picture book, Shark Girl (Roaring Brook Press, Feb. 25), the inspiring tale of a plucky, ocean-dwelling protagonist—half shark, half-girl—who comes ashore to stop a dastardly sea captain from fishing her waters dry.

Beaton, who hails from Nova Scotia, is the New York Times–bestselling author of Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands (2022), and the fine mind behind Hark! A Vagrant, a hilarious and historically informative webcomic that ran from 2007 to 2018. She’s the author/illustrator of King Baby and The Princess and the Pony, which was made into the Apple TV+ series Pinecone & Pony. She lives in Nova Scotia with her family.

Here’s a bit from our review of Shark Girl: “Though she’s part shark and part human, Shark Girl has never had much to do with her human side—until the day a massive fishing net captures her, along with a load of other sea denizens. She escapes and, realizing that the dangerous Captain Barrett is overfishing, seeks vengeance. With the help of a sea witch, she disguises herself and joins Barrett’s crew in the hope of inciting mutiny. Rebellions, however, are difficult things to start. Instead, Shark Girl discovers that humans are complicated creatures and that sometimes revenge isn’t as straightforward as a creature born of the sea would prefer. Beaton peppers her conservationist tale with peppy, scaly aplomb.…The environmental messaging is subtle in the face of the power of a protagonist who’s part shark, part girl, and all awesome.…A scaly new hero sure to save the day—and to endear herself to readers.”

Beaton and I begin with the inspiration for Shark Girl. We discuss the environmental issues the book addresses, including overfishing and bycatch, and how humor can be used to approach serious subjects. She shares a bit about her research process for the book (e.g., maritime museum visits, expert interviews) to ensure the accuracy of particular facts. We talk about Shark Girl’s wide range of emotions, and Beaton emphasizes She tells me why she dedicated the book “To shark kids,” and we discuss the importance of encouraging young readers to consider the impact of human activity on marine life.

BEST BOOKS OF FEBRUARY 2025:

Fagin the Thief by Allison Epstein (Doubleday)

The Stained Glass Window: A Family History as the American Story, 1790-1958 by David Levering Lewis (Penguin Press)

Caboose by Travis Jonker, illus. by Ruth Chan (Abrams)

Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

Debrand’s Invite by Brendan Terrick

The Blackbeard by Daniel J. Doggett

London Skies by Paul Tomkins

The Odyssey of Mrs. Naomi Billingsley by Sally Stevens

Fully Booked is produced by Cabel Adkins Audio and Megan Labrise.