Codzilla

by David Zeltser, Jared Chapman (Illustrator)

Overview

Codzilla is a heartfelt and hilarious picture book based on the classic school story of bully vs. brains—perfect for fans of favorites such as SpongeBob SquarePants, The Pout-Pout Fish, Ninja Baby, and Vegetables in Underwear!

Bertie is the BIGGEST codfish in school. He loves reading about sharks more than anything, but he’s teased about his size by the littler fish in his school. When they start calling him Codzilla, he gets fed up and starts living up to the name.

But when danger strikes from the deep in the form of a shark, Bertie must use his vast shark knowledge and his sizeable heart to save his friends.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062570673
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	06/11/2019
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

David Zeltser is the author of the picture books Ninja Baby, The Universe Ate My Homework, and The Night Library as well as the chapter books Lug: Dawn of the Ice Age and Lug: Blast from the North. Just like the main character in his picture book Codzilla, when David was teased in school for being different, he took solace in reading, especially books about animals. In his twenties he worked with many amazing creatures, including owls and giraffes, and even once helped care for a baby rhino. David now lives by the ocean in Santa Cruz, California, with his family. Visit him at www.davidzeltser.com.

Jared Chapman is the author-illustrator of the popular books Vegetables in Underwear and Fruits in Suits. Other books he has written and illustrated include Steve, Raised by Wolves and Pirate, Viking & Scientist. He is the illustrator of Wordplay and several other picture books. Jared was born in Louisiana, grew up in Texas, went to college in Georgia, and now calls the piney woods of northeast Texas his home. Visit him at jaredchapman.com.

Editorial Reviews

03/25/2019

In this comical story of individuality and ingenuity, a giant orange codfish must find a way to embrace his size. Gentle giant and shark-fact enthusiast Bertie towers over his classmates, making an easy target for Maxwell, a fellow cod who persuades classmates to call the fish Codzilla. Pushed to his limit, Bertie snaps; he eats Maxwell and hopes that’s the end of it, but when others protest, the enormous cod is forced to gobble up more classmates (even the school nurse). The opportunity to set things right soon presents itself in the form of a hungry, jacket-wearing shark, against whom Bertie’s size and shark expertise proves deeply useful. Cartoon illustrations by Chapman (Vegetables in Underwear) plainly convey the silliness of the fishy tale by Zeltser (The Night Library) while communicating the very real emotions—anxiety, guilt, and satisfaction—that Bertie’s situation evokes. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (June)

Publishers Weekly

2019-05-08
A big cod's struggles with bullying come to an end when he saves the school from a shark.

Bertie is one huge cod, towering over every other student in his school. Because they fear him and his strength, they side with Maxwell in his bullying of Bertie, chiming in when Maxwell asks, "Hey guys, what's this beast's name again?" "CODZILLA!" Bertie might be a bit clumsy, but he is a gentle cod who loves to read about sharks in the school library. But even mild-mannered fish can get pushed too far, and when running, hiding, and playing dead don't alleviate the bullying, Bertie takes care of Maxwell by eating him…and all the witnesses. Their racket drives Bertie to sneeze them out again, but the bullying gets worse until the day Bertie turns hero by putting all his shark knowledge (and his huge stomach capacity) to good use. While it's refreshing to see the reversal of size stereotypes, with a small bully and a large target, it's unfortunate that the bullying only ends when Bertie becomes useful. The fish in Chapman's Photoshop illustrations are shaped like bullets with various colored and shaped fins and remarkably expressive, rather goofy faces. All "walk" upright on their fins, and the atmosphere is extremely dry despite the presence of watery plants and the occasional bubble. Don't miss the titles of the library books.

This fish tail is amusing, though it won't help kids who find themselves in Bertie's shoes. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews