FISH FRIENDS FOREVER

A new pet prompts complex emotions.

An unnamed pale-skinned child is obsessed with Frank, a green-scaled, rosy-cheeked fish. The youngster documents their relationship in a diary, recording everything from Halloween (“I dressed up as Frank…Frank dressed up as me. Fish friends forever!”) to Valentine’s Day (“We all made cards for Franky. He blushed”). A poignant entry on February 25 notes that today Frank refused to come out of the shell in his tank; eventually, he dies. The child is devastated; bouts of door-slamming anger ensue (the protagonist dutifully apologies), followed by moments of deep grief, beautifully shown in a mournful double-page spread depicting Frank’s funeral. After some time, the child receives a new pet, a pink fish named Fern, much to the little one’s chagrin. After some initial disappointment that Fern doesn’t play exactly like Frank, the child becomes open to the possibility of forging new bonds while respecting Frank’s memory. This tender, earnest look at the beautiful connection between pet and child is deeply authentic, showcasing intense emotions, effectively expressed by Betawi’s quirky artwork, which has an intimate, childlike feel that pairs well with the journal format. Ferguson’s earnest epistolary text, by turns bubbly and raw with sorrow, captures the youngster’s deep emotions with empathy and understanding.

A loving look at being thankful for the time we have with others—however fleeting.