Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ages: 3 – 6 years
When I was a little girl, I wasn’t interested in dresses and frills or anything vaguely girly. I wanted to do everything my older brother could do ….
In particular, I wanted to go fishing with Dad!
We lived in a small unit near the ocean and fortunately for me, Dad took us fishing every Sunday morning. My brother and I would walk out onto the pier, throw a line in and giggle at the big lipped fish that were caught.
Reading The Pout-Pout Fish brought back some great memories …. and also created some new ones in reading the book out-loud to the kids, listening to them giggle at the illustrations.
I’ve even agreed to take them fishing this weekend!
The Pout-Pout Fish is a wonderfully illustrated story about changing one’s attitude and turning that frown upside-down.
We are introduced to The Pout Pout Fish on the first page and it’s clear he firmly believes that he only knows how to pout!
Despite this big blue fish’s depressing demeanor, the illustrations are quite joyful and ooze character. His downward turned face is more comical than depressing.
The fish himself claims …
“I’m a pout-pout fish with a pout-pout face, so I spread the dreary-wearies all over the place.’’
He’s a bit of a drama-queen, following the statement up with a ‘’Blub, Bluuub, Bluuuuuuuub’’ as he lets his body flop down on the ocean’s sandy bottom, much to the amusement of the ever-present marine life.
A clam with a wide winning grin gives him some advice, suggesting its time to turn his frown upside down. The Pout-Pout Fish says it’s a nice thought, but claims it’s just the way he is.
He follows this up with some more hilariously dramatic bluuuub’s’.
A Jellyfish comes along, telling Mr. Fish …
‘’I wish you wouldn’t greet us with a grimace and a growl.’’
Again, The Pout-Pout fish is dramatic and unchanging in his attitude.
A squid and an octopus both offer up suggestions with similar responses.
A shimmering fish comes along that the gang has never seen before. Instead of offering suggestions, she surprises him with a kiss upon his pout-pout face.
The surprise kiss makes his realize that he is NOT a pout-pout fish, but he is indeed a ….
… ‘’kiss-kiss fish with a kiss-kiss face, for spreading cheery-cheeries all over the place!’’
Much happier, he then proceeds to plant kisses on all of his friends.
Deborah Diesen is a bestselling author who has written The Pout-Pout Fish in clever rhymes and playful fun. Younger kids will thrive on the repetition of the verses. Dan Hanna has over a decades experience in the animation industry and you can tell! The illustrations are cheery, full of character and just delightful.
The Pout-Pout Fish is a wonderfully illustrated story about changing one’s attitude and turning that frown upside-down. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable read and a welcome edition to any child’s book shelf.
