What Gives Dan Santat Hope

More hope. From the kidlit community, to you.  

No matter where you are. No matter what’s going on around you. No matter what is pulling your attention or competing for space in your mind. May these next few minutes offer you rest, peace, and hope.

Hope - April 25, 2026

Dan Santat, author of A Fishboy Named... Sashimi (Roaring Brook Press), shares what is giving him hope today: shimmers of light and unconditional love.

Listen along:

About the Book: A Fishboy Named... Sashimi by Dan Santat. Published by Roaring Brook Press.

"From the mega-talented Dan Santat comes a hilarious and beautifully illustrated tale of friendship, adventure and mystery. Sashimi is FRESH!!!" -Dav Pilkey, creator of Dog Man and Captain Underpants

He's funny. He's (too) friendly. He's... a fishboy named SASHIMI!

A new graphic novel series from bestseller and Caldecott Medal winner Dan Santat.

In the town of Barnacle Bay, a creature lurks. He’s come from the ocean, in search of others like him.

To fit in with humans, Sashimi sneaks into an elementary school and pretends to be a student. But he’s clearly a fish out of water!

When Sashimi finds out the whole town is on the hunt for the Beast of Barnacle Bay—a creature who sounds a lot like Sashimi—hijinks ensue! Fortunately, with the help of a new friend and the class goldfish, Sashimi figures out a way to stay afloat.

Perfect for fans of Bad Guys, Sharkdog, and The Investigator series!

Don't miss other books in the series:

Book 2: Field Trip of Doom

Book 3: Double Trouble

More:

Visit Dan Santat online at www.instagram.com/dsantat 

Learn more about Boyds Mills and their upcoming programs by visiting boydsmills.org. 

Transcript:

Dan: "  What's giving me hope today?

If we're going to think about shimmers of light, my youngest son just got accepted into college. And he has this wonderful girlfriend of two years. And I see him as a confident person who, I'm just thrilled to see him finally standing on his own two feet, going to see the world on his own. And especially, he has someone in his life outside of the family that he has this unconditional love for.

And it just... it gives me hope."