Grippo the Friendly Shark

By Larry D. Kingsley and Roger Kammerer

This book contains danger and excitement surrounding the adventures of two unlikely friends, a fish, Grippo the Friendly Shark, and an animal, Danny the Dolphin. Their close friendship within the book demonstrates the theme of accepting others that may be different.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Oct 7, 2015
• ISBN: 9781489705150

Larry D. Kingsley

Larry D. Kingsley, Author Larry has been writing short stories for about twenty years. Most of his works are rich with stories about his life growing up on a farm in northern New York State. He now resides in Cary, North Carolina, with his wife, Georgeanne, and their best friend, Archie the Dog. His stories have been featured in his hometown’s historical society publications and two anthologies of works published by The Writers Group Encore continuing education at North Carolina State University. Grippo the Friendly Shark was a story inspired by the children he tutors in the YMCA after-school program. He has also become the children’s chief storyteller, and he says, “I teach Imagination 101.” He believes children should develop a creative mind, and his hope is that stimulating their minds at an early age will help develop a lifetime of wonderment. Roger Kammerer, Illustrator Roger Kammerer is an accomplished artist proficient in oils, acrylic, watercolor, pencil and pen, and ink. His work includes portraits, watercolors, pen and inks, and mural projects. Roger’s work can be found in numerous private and corporate collections in North Carolina and across the country. He has also been featured in various publications across the South. He says he “relishes the challenge of each new task” and hopes each work is an expression of beauty and something lasting.

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Copyright © 2015 Larry D. Kingsley.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

LifeRich Publishing is a registered trademark of The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc.

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ISBN: 978-1-4897-0514-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-0515-0 (e)

LifeRich Publishing rev. date: 10/7/2015

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Contents

Chapter 1   Grippo the Friendly Shark

Chapter 2   Octopus Encounter

Chapter 3   Grippo Lost

Chapter 4   The Deep, Dark, Dangerous Part of the Ocean

Chapter 5   Hoping for Acceptance

Chapter 6   The Big Churn

Chapter 7   The Dolphin Council

Chapter 8   The Vote

Chapter 9   Finding Slippery Sly

Chapter 10   Learning The Way Of The Dolphins

Chapter 11   Jump For Joy

Chapter 12   Friends Forever

Acknowledgements

About the Author and Illustrator

Dedicated to:

Young readers. May you fall deeply in love with reading at an early age.

Chapter One

Grippo the Friendly Shark

His mother named him Grippo because since birth he’d always held tightly onto her fin, fearing he would be left behind. His father’s mouth was full of sharp gleaming teeth, teeth as big as a crocodile’s. His mother’s were just as big. He hoped he would grow up and look as ferocious as his parents and he looked forward to catching fish just like they did every day.

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Grippo, his mother said. You will have to learn to be big and mean, so why don’t you let go of my fin? Try to be like your brother and hunt for fish to eat.

But Mom, Grippo said. I like the other fish. Besides, there’s always plenty left over after you catch something. I know I’ve got to learn to catch fish, but for now, is it ok to just watch you catch fish?

Ok for now, Grippo, but you have to learn to be ferocious. I won’t be around forever, his mother cautioned him.

Grippo enjoyed the fast ride he got when his mother sped through the water. He even liked the tight turns and occasional flips his mother did to catch a fish, or just to show him how to be agile.

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One day Grippo was holding tightly to his mother’s fin when she turned so quickly that he lost his grip. She didn’t notice Grippo was no longer holding onto her fin and she continued speeding away. Grippo saw his mother’s gray body disappear into a school of fish.

What am I going to do now? I don’t have a mother anymore to protect me. I’m doomed. I don’t like to catch fish and I’m certainly not ferocious looking like my parents. My little teeth won’t scare anyone. How am I going to make it?

He began to swim slowly in circles, feeling sad and a bit scared. All of a sudden he saw a school of fish above him. They seemed to be having a wonderful time diving deep into the ocean and then shooting straight up before falling back into the water with just a little splash, only to repeat the same thing over and over. It looked like a fun game to Grippo.

I’ve never seen sharks do that. I wonder if I could learn to do that? Maybe those fish might even teach me how to jump like them.

Grippo kept following these strange fish. He was now feeling even more lonely and homesick for his mother. One of the fish seemed curious and came close to him. Grippo saw his long snout and what looked like a friendly face smiling at him. He tried to smile back, but all he could do was show his tiny teeth and wave his tail. When he returned the smile the strange fish quickly swam away.

I know I didn’t scare him. After all, I’m not ferocious looking like my parents or my brother. Maybe if I swim really fast I can catch that strange fish and we might become friends. I need a friend. I’m so lonely.

Grippo swam really fast to try and catch the strange fish. The faster he went, the faster the fish went. He was never going to catch him that way.

I’ll try calling. Maybe someone will hear me