A parent might reach for this book when their child craves a spooky thrill but also wants to be in the driver's seat of the story. This interactive gamebook is perfect for reluctant readers who are more engaged by video games than traditional novels. The reader is the main character, attending a 3D movie premiere when the giant shark on screen escapes into the theater. Every few pages, the reader must make a choice that determines their fate, leading to over twenty different, often comical, endings. It's a fun, safe way to explore themes of fear and bravery, as the reader's choices directly impact their survival. The campy horror and game-like structure make it an exciting, empowering, and purely entertaining choice for kids who like a little scare with their stories.
The reader is consistently in danger, making choices to escape life-threatening situations.
Sensitive Topics
The concept of death is a central mechanic of the book, as most choices lead to a 'bad ending' where the protagonist is eaten, crushed, or otherwise dispatched. However, this is treated as a 'game over' screen rather than a traumatic event. The tone is cartoonish and metaphorical, entirely devoid of gore or genuine grief. The resolution is simply to start over and make different choices, framing death as a temporary setback in a game, not a real-world finality. The approach is secular and fantastical.
Ideal Reader
The ideal reader is an 8 to 11-year-old who is a reluctant reader but an avid gamer. This child enjoys the agency and problem-solving of interactive entertainment. They are drawn to spooky or monster-filled stories but want a sense of control over the outcome. They find humor in failure and enjoy the challenge of replaying a scenario to find the 'winning' path.
Parent Prep
No pre-reading is necessary. The only prep a parent might consider is explaining the unique format to a child unfamiliar with gamebooks: "You don't read this from start to finish. You read a section, make a choice, and then turn to the page number it tells you to." It's also helpful to frame the 'bad endings' as funny parts of the game, not as failures. A parent has just heard their child say, "Reading is so boring, I'd rather play my video game." Or, the child expresses a desire to read the scarier books their friends or older siblings are reading, and the parent is looking for an age-appropriate, less intense entry point into the horror genre.
Age Experience
A younger reader (8-9) will focus on the immediate thrill of the choices and the goal of survival, experiencing the bad endings as surprising jump scares. An older reader (10-12) is more likely to appreciate the campy humor, recognize the horror tropes being played with, and may approach the book as a puzzle, systematically trying to unlock all the possible endings.
What Makes It Special
Among countless children's horror books, its interactivity is the key differentiator. Unlike a traditional linear novel, this book hands agency to the reader. This gamification of reading is uniquely effective for drawing in reluctant readers. It provides a controlled environment to experience fear, empowering the child and making the spooky elements feel manageable and fun rather than overwhelming.
Read plot summary
This is a second-person, choose-your-own-adventure style gamebook. The reader, as the protagonist, is attending a sneak preview of a 3D shark movie called "Jaws of Doom." During the show, the massive shark antagonist seemingly comes to life, breaks through the screen, and begins terrorizing the movie theater. The reader must make a series of choices (e.g., hide or run, go left or right) to navigate the theater, avoid the shark, and hopefully find a way to escape. The book features over 20 possible endings, most of which result in the reader's comical demise.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
On page 10, you have to choose between running for the main exit or hiding in the projection booth. Which did you choose first, and why did you think it was the safer option?
2
Many of the endings are 'bad' endings where you get caught. Which ending surprised or made you laugh the most? Why?
3
After you reached an ending where you didn't survive, did you feel motivated to go back and try a different path? How is that feeling similar to or different from losing in a video game?
4
The book gives you specific choices, but if you were really in this situation, what's a different, creative idea you would have to escape the shark?
5
Which path did you find the scariest to read through, even if it wasn't the one that led to a bad ending right away?
