Jonas The Mechanical Shark

A Magical and Moving Journey into the Heart of the Human Experience

Jonas, a mechanical shark and former star of a blockbuster film, now lives a quiet retirement in MonsterLand — a theme park that brings together the most iconic monsters in cinema history.
But in the digital age, Jonas is nothing more than an old, rusting robot who no longer sends shivers down anyone’s spine.

When the director of MonsterLand announces his plan to send the shark to the scrapyard, the park’s monsters rally to save their friend — by returning him to the ocean…

Thus begins a new chapter in Jonas’s life.

Despite the heartbreak of parting, Jonas dares to hope he might finally experience the joys of wild, free living.
But his robotic nature makes it impossible to adapt to this new environment…

Told in short chapters, this illustrated novel for older readers is a playful nod to Jaws, and is as gripping as it is moving.
A cast of offbeat, even caricatured characters — both animal and mechanical — come together in a tender and witty modern fable.

Rights sold: simplified Chinese, German, Italian, Korean

The Author & Illustrator

Bertrand Santini is now a major name in children’s literature. At Grasset, he has published Le Yark, Hugo de la Nuit, L’étrange réveillon, Miss Pook et les enfants de la lune, and Comment j’ai raté ma vie. He is also the author and illustrator of the bestselling Journal of Gurty series (Sarbacane). Once again, he succeeds in drawing readers into a world rich in imagination, rhythm, humor, and emotional depth.

Paul Mager has graduated the Georges Méliès School of Film and Animation. Since 2003, he has contributed character and background design to numerous projects, including A Monster in Paris (Europacorp), Despicable Me, and Minions (Universal Studios).