07/04/2026
"I Promise Not to Eat You (Not Even Just a Nibble)"
by Christopher Murphy
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Little Shark loves the 4th of July. He loves the colors, the music, the fireworks - but most of all, he loves sharing things he loves.
So this year, he decides to throw a party at the little bookstore near the river. He makes shark cookies, shark lollipops, shark coloring books, and stacks up books for story time. He even practices saying, “Welcome! I promise I will not eat you. Not even a nibble.” He thinks that sounds very reassuring.
On the morning of the 4th, he decorates the shop in red, white, and blue streamers. He sets out bowls of lollipops, trays of cookies, and piles of coloring books. He hums a cheerful, splashy tune as he works.
Then he opens the door wide.
And waits.
And waits.
And waits a little more.
No one comes.
“Maybe everyone wants to be fashionably late,” he tells himself. To feel better, he adds more snacks. “I think I’m going to need a bigger bowl,” he says proudly.
Ding‑ding.
A customer steps in, looks around, and says, “Oh! I didn’t mean to interrupt. I was just looking for a good book.”
Little Shark beams. “Welcome! Please help yourself to a snack. Would you like to hear a story? I can read Sharklock Holmes and the Case of the Missing Minnow, or The Very Hungry Hammerhead, or Goodnight, Gill.” He lifts his fin. “Or my favorite book ever - If You Give a Shark Some Chum!”
“Oh, yes. I almost forgot- I Promise Not to Eat You. Not Even Just a Nibble.”
The customer smiles politely, picks up a shark cookie with two fingers, and darts out the door.
Little Shark blinks. “Maybe he forgot his phone.”
The shop grows quiet again. So Little Shark decides maybe the party needs music. He sings. Loudly. And with feeling.
Ding‑ding.
A small family walks in.
“Oh hello!” Little Shark says. “Are you here for the party?”
They look surprised. “Oh - no, we didn’t know about a party. We were just looking for a book.”
“Well that is good!” Little Shark says. “While you are here, please feel free to party.”
Each family member carefully takes a lollipop… and then they all dash out the door.
“Hmmm,” Little Shark says. “They must have forgotten their phones too.”
The shop grows quiet again. He straightens the coloring books one more time, even though no one has used them. He wonders if maybe his party wasn’t such a good idea. Maybe sharks aren’t very good at parties. Maybe everyone is too busy with the big celebrations outside.
He sighs a little shark sigh.
Ding‑ding.
Little Shark looks up, expecting another quick peek‑and‑dash.
But instead, the very first customer steps back inside - the one who took a shark cookie and hurried out earlier. This time, he isn’t alone. Behind him comes his whole family, smiling and curious.
“Hello again,” the customer says. “I told my family about your treats… and your stories… and your very polite promise not to eat anyone. We thought we’d come back.”
Little Shark’s fins perk straight up. “You… came back? For the party?”
“Oh yes,” the customer says. “We didn’t want to miss it.”
Then more footsteps. A child peeks in. Then another. Then a parent. Then a whole group of families wandering downtown.
“We heard there’s a shark party!” one child says.“And shark coloring books!”“And shark stories!”“And shark cookies shaped like actual sharks!”
Little Shark beams so brightly his teeth sparkle like fireworks.
“Well! I have all of those,” he says. “And I promise - I will not eat you. Not even a nibble.”
The children giggle and rush to the coloring table. Parents browse the shelves. The first customer gives Little Shark a thumbs‑up, as if to say, See? I told them you were great.
Soon the store is full - coloring, munching, listening, laughing. Little Shark reads stories with big voices and silly faces. Families stay longer than they planned. The shop feels warm and busy and happy.
And Little Shark realizes something important:
People did want to come. They just needed someone brave enough to come back first.
When the last family waves goodbye and the fireworks begin outside, Little Shark looks around the shop. There are still plenty of lollipops. And more cookies than he expected. And the coloring table is only slightly covered in crayon shavings.
It wasn’t a big party. Or a long party. But it was his party.
Little Shark smiles a big, toothy, careful smile.
He made new friends. He shared stories. He didn’t eat a single person - not even a nibble.
And he thinks to himself:
“Any day that ends without anyone being eaten by sharks… is a very good day indeed.”
He hums his splashy tune, tidies up the crumbs, and feels proud - because even a small party can make big memories.
