A FISH NAMED SPOT

You are what you eat in this unassuming story of a fish that wanted to be a dog, from newcomer Goldfinger. Young Simon had always wanted a dog, but when his globetrotting Aunt Loretta brings him one from England, his allergies kick in and the dog gets kicked out. On the next visit, Aunt Loretta brings him a fish from Africa. Then Simon feeds the fish, which he has named Spot, some dog biscuits, and Spot starts acting fishy—like a dog, that is. He might look like a big fish, but he behaves like a dog and he and Simon become fast friends. Then one day Spot gets a yearning for immersion in the liquid realm. So he turns on the hose and floods the house. He and Simon float through the rooms, frolicking about, until hunger sends them swimming to the kitchen. There they snack on little fish crackers and voilà: Spot returns to full-fledged fish status. Nothing particularly original here—there are, actually, some pretty loud echoes of children's books past—and the artwork is serviceable if nondescript and fairly literal. Yet the book's humility speaks well for it, as does its air of old-fashioned tall-tale storytelling. (Picture book. 4-7)