"Fans of Pout-Pout Fish will get a new perspective in this back-to-school title that shows even adults get nervous when facing the new and unknown. (Picture book. 3-5)"
Mr. Fish provides a glimpse of a substitute teacher's first day of school.
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"If the point is to help children understand and accept their feelings, this effort is a failure. If the point is to sell Pout-Pout product, it might succeed. (Board book. 1-3)"
"Mr. Fish's fans can chase away any holiday 'dreary-wearies' with this latest entry in the series, though it's more likely to be adults who face the holiday shopping quandary than children. (Picture book. 3-6)"
The perennially popular pout-pout fish is back with a new problem: how to find perfect gifts for all his friends.
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"Diesen tackles a worry not often found in back-to-school books; young Mr. Fish will ease children's fears about what will be expected of them. (Picture book. 2-5)"
This look back at when Mr. Fish was young and starting school for the first time focuses on belonging.
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Mr. Fish heroically offers to find Ms. Clam's lost pearl, and as he ventures forth, gentle suspense ensues when he finds himself heading for deeper and darker waters. Young readers will enjoy the energetic and detailed cartoon-like illustrations of this friendly-yet-mysterious underwater world (the scenes deep in the ocean trench are particularly effective), while the rollicking, rhythmic text will have readers diving in with Mr. Fish as he repeatedly admits, "I'm FAST as a sailfish, I'm STRONG as a shark, I'm SMART as dolphin…But I'm scared of the dark." Fans of The Pout-Pout Fish (2008) will find just as much to love here, and any youngster who has been afraid of the dark will identify with Mr. Fish's struggle. Luckily, our hero has dedicated friends who help him deal with his anxiety, continue on his quest and keep his promise to Ms. Clam. The final notes of friendship and bravery will resonate with young readers. An entertaining read-aloud and a nice lighthearted vehicle for dealing with fear. (Picture book. 3-6)Read full book review >
The pout-pout fish, painted a suitable blue, is so named for his perpetual gloom: "I'm a pout-pout fish / With a pout-pout face, / So I spread the dreary-wearies / All over the place." When a jellyfish complains about his "daily scaly scowl," the glum fish agrees, but says his mood isn't up to him. A squid, dubbing the fish "a kaleidoscope of mope," receives the same defeatist answer, as do other sea creatures. Up to this point, the story is refreshing in that readers will no doubt recognize the pout-pout fish in their own lives, and in many cases, there's just no cheering these people up. But the plot takes a rather unpalatable turn when a shimmery girl fish kisses the gloomster right on his pouty mouth. With that kiss, he transforms into the "kiss-kiss fish" and swims around "spreading cheery-cheeries all over the place," meaning that he starts to smooch every creature in sight. (Don't try this at school, kids, you'll get suspended!) Still, there's plenty of charm here, both in the playful language ("hulky-bulky sulking!") and in the winning artwork—Hanna's cartoonish undersea world swims with hilarious bug-eyed creatures that ooze personality. (Picture book. 3-6)Read full book review >
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