Wonderfully, Perfectly Unusual
Not every shark follows the same current, and that’s what makes Connor so special. In a far-off ocean lagoon, one loveable young shark discovers what it means to be different—and why that might just be his greatest strength.
While the other sharks swam one way, Connor swam another. When they leaped, he dove. While they feasted on crabs and shrimp, he preferred the taste of sea plants. Connor didn’t quite fit in, and the other sharks made sure he knew it. But with his mother’s wisdom and unwavering love, Connor learns a powerful lesson: Being different isn’t something to hide—it’s something to celebrate.
This beautifully illustrated book is a heartwarming addition to popular children's books and a must-have for any collection of children’s picture books. Through Connor’s journey, young readers will learn about self-acceptance, resilience, and the courage to embrace their uniqueness. It’s a story that inspires confidence in children who feel different, reminding them that their individuality makes them Wonderfully, Perfectly Unusual!
Whether you're looking for a children's favorite book, a children's book about reading, or one of the best childhood books to pass down for generations, this story is a gentle yet powerful reminder to be proud of who you are. A perfect gift for little readers who need a boost of confidence, bedtime story collections, and classroom read-alouds, Wonderfully, Perfectly Unusual is a timeless tale that proves being yourself is always the best choice.
Let Connor’s story inspire your little one to swim their own path—with pride and their head held high
Wonderfully, Perfectly Unusual!: A Story About Bullying
by Sharon Thayer
Carousel Publishing
book review by Jonah Meyer
"Together, the two new friends burst into the air with spectacular loop-the-loops, celebrating how great it felt to be a little strange, a lot different, and wonderfully, perfectly unusual!"
Connor is a hammerhead shark pup who has thirty-seven hammerhead siblings. All the other shark pups look and act alike except Connor. When his brothers and sisters swim one way, he swims another. When they eat shrimp and crabs, he prefers to munch on tasty sea plants. When the other pups play hide-and-seek, Connor heads off to explore on his own. As an old gray shark remarks, "He's rather unusual, don't you think?" Connor's mom smiles, holds her head high, and declares, "Thank you! Yes, he is. He's wonderfully, perfectly unusual." Young Connor learns and adopts this positive response himself, so when others under the sea remark on his "being different," Connor too holds his little head high, looks straight into their eyes, and exclaims, "Thank you!" The hammerhead pup stays true to his genuine self, enjoying "twirling and whirling" in the seagrass with a new girl shark he befriends.
Thayer's book is gorgeously illustrated and contains an enticing story, interesting characters, and an all-important message for young readers that being different is not only okay and natural but also something to be celebrated. A story on the issue of bullying and how to deal positively and creatively with this common childhood concern, this picture book entertains young readers while also offering something unique: advice in the endnotes about seeking help for bullying, including hotline numbers to call, as well as guiding any child to talk to a trusted adult (parent, teacher, school counselor) who can help. This is significant. Also of note is a section at the book's end encouraging young readers to "Discover Great Hammerhead Sharks." This provides fascinating, age-appropriate facts about great hammerhead sharks being an endangered species and illuminating information on their predation, diet, and more. Thayer's book is both fun and highly informative.
Thayer's To the Ends of the Earth was a 2020 Eric Hoffer Book Award Category Finalist.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review
Wonderfully Perfectly Unusual!
By Sharon Thayer with Connor Thayer
Illustrated by Reuben McHugh and Andrew Smith
Review from Stand for the Silent: addressing the issues
of school bullying and teen suicide.
Roxy: Hey Rory, how do mermaids talk to their friends? Their shell phones!
Rory: Haha. That’s good, but I thought they usually just wave!
Roxy: That’s funny! Hey, don’t you think it would be so amazing to actually talk to a
mermaid?
Rory: Well, the author of the book from our latest book review said her story was
inspired by a mermaid!
Roxy: Oh yeah, let’s share all the details about Wonderfully Perfectly Unusual! with
everyone now!
Wonderfully Perfectly Unusual! is the story of a hammerhead shark pup named
Connor. Connor is different from all of the other sharks. He prefers to eat plants over
meat and instead of racing through the water, he likes to swim slowly near the bottom
and look for cool shells and pretty coral. All the other sharks constantly tell Connor he’s
weird. But his mother says he is, “wonderfully, perfectly, unusual!” At first it hurts
Connor’s feelings to be called weird, but he decides his mother is right and whenever
someone calls him weird, Connor just replies with, “Thank you,” and keeps on doing his
thing. Then, Connor meets a weird girl shark, and they are wonderfully, perfectly, happy
to do their unusual things together.
We enjoyed this book! We liked how Connor was happy being himself, but we were
really glad when he found another weird shark to be friends with who accepted him for
who he was. Sometimes we are kinda weird too, but we have friends and family who
love us no matter what! It feels good to know we can always be ourselves. We liked that
this book celebrated being true to yourself. Plus, it is a good reminder that if you feel
different and alone, there is someone out there who accepts you and thinks you are
wonderfully, perfectly, unusual.
The illustrations in this book were so pretty and we really liked that you could find the
mermaid on some pages watching the story take place. We also thought it was cool
there were shark facts in the back of the book. We absolutely loved the author’s
backstory telling all about her mermaid inspiration for the story. If we were mermaids we
would totally be friends with Connor the shark too! We encourage everyone to read this
unusually inspired story and celebrate their weird and true selves