Sashimi
Sashimi is new in Barnacle Bay school. He has a hoodie pulled over his wide eyes and orange skin. And he’s squishy – he sweats all the time! All the kids he meets at his school are surly, critical and awkward, (or even mean!) but he doesn’t seem to notice. He even thinks the school bully and the bully’s toadies are funny!
There’s a lot that Sashimi doesn’t know. Everything is new to him, and he’s seeing everything for the first time. Even though he’s a sweet…whatever, he sometimes doesn’t realize his behavior isn’t appropriate. So he gets whacked a lot. There’s lots of whacking. But regardless of how the kids treat him, he refuses to be embarrassed – he’s completely confident and authentic about who he is and constantly amazed by everything.
Still, it’s A LOT. Good thing he’s got his friend, the classroom goldfish, to answer some of the more pressing questions he has. There’s also Joseph, the friend who says he’s not a friend. Unfortunately, Sashimi finds some disturbing information out in the supermarket while on a trip downtown. And THEN he meets his friend Joseph’s grandfather, and things get….well…complicated. Just like Clark Kent taking off his glasses, Sashimi’s secret gets found out. But will his friends help him keep his secret? What exactly WOULD a good friend do?
Santat’s broad marker lines and manga-like expressions add to the comic action and made me laugh out loud at some pages – “I can see through time!” “Holy Smokes, kill it with FIRE!”
This is a warm story about making friends, how hard that can be sometimes, and learning to be your authentic self. It’s appropriately placed for middle grades, ages 6-12.
Sashimi
By Dan Santat
Macmillan Roaring Brook, 2026
ISBN: 9781250360007
Company Age Rating: 6-10
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11)
