popsrocks's Full Review: Marcus Pfister - The Rainbow Fish Big Book
I picked up the Rainbow Fish Big Book to read to two of my grand children in our home the other day. My wife and daughters do most of the children's book purchasing. This was the first time I saw the book. I was attracted by its beautifully painted cover of a fish with iridescent coloured scales.
The Artist/Writer and Art Work
I'm not quite sure the size of the original book but this one, the big book, is about 9" X 12". The story and illustrations are by artist Marcus Pfister from Switzerland. He has nearly thirty six books but this one is his most popular.
The art work is done in a soft water colour method where the artist works on wet paper. This makes the colours he paints blend gently into each other giving a fluid feeling that is pleasing to and easy on the eye. I like it and his method does make his work appealing. It is a beautifully illustrated book.
The book was translated to English by J. Alison James. From what I have read, this book has been translated into many languages and is now popularly known the world over.
Awards
Many accolades have been thrust upon this book since it hit the market in 1992. Some listed on the back cover are,
-A 1993 Christopher Award Winner
-Winner of the 1993 Bologna Book Fair Critici in Erba Prize
-An IRA-CBC Children's Choice for 1993
The front cover has a gold emblem stating, ABBEY WINNER American Bookseller Book of the Year Award. It doesn't state which year.
Reading the Book
This twenty four page hard cover book by North-South books is really comprised of twelve paintings, each of which covers two face to face pages. On one side of each painting is text that has about thirty to fifty words dictated as a story.
The book held the interest of my five year old grand daughter. An infant grand daughter was there too. For her I just showed pictures and told the story with feeling. She is really to young to apprehend, though she did respond to the pictures, at just seven months old. All the same, I did read it to her too.
In reading the story we are told of a beautiful fish that has shimmering multi-coloured scales and is the envy of the other fish who want the beautiful one to play with them.
The pretty fish just kept swimming. A small little fish approaches the Rainbow Fish and asks for one scale because the pretty fish has so many.
The little fishes request was denied and he swam off and told all the other fish what happened. We then read the words, "From then on, no one would have anything to do with the Rainbow Fish. They turned away when he swam by."
It is my feeling that we are teaching a wrong message here. Should we spurn and shun those we do not agree with?
The Rainbow Fish goes into deep thought wondering
"What good were the dazzling, shimmering scales with no one to admire them? Now he was the loneliest fish in the ocean."
The Rainbow fish talks to a star fish that sends him to the wise octopus. He receives the advice,
"Give a glittering scale to each of the other fish. You will no longer be the most beautiful fish in the sea, but you will discover how to be happy."
This sounds like out right communism here. I don't like the message.
The little fish that was turned away earlier and told all the other fish about the rejection comes back to the Rainbow Fish asking again for a scale. This time at first wavering, he does give away just one scale.
The little fish whizzed through the ocean with his scale flashing, so it didn't take long before the Rainbow Fish was surrounded by the other fish. Everyone wanted a glittering scale.
They seem like a lot of free loaders to me. Should we be teaching our children to want and expect what everyone else has?
So the Rainbow Fish did as they asked.
Finally the Rainbow Fish had only one shining scale left. His most Prized possessions had been given away, yet he was happy. "Come on Rainbow Fish," they called. "Come play with us!"
"Here I come," Said the Rainbow Fish and, happy as a splash, he swam off to join his friends.
Just how happy is a splash I wonder?
If you have read me over the years I believe you would find me as caring and sharing as the next guy. There are many wonderful books on the market and in libraries that give life lessons that I, as a parent and grand parent, feel are good for the moral and social growth of my children. Though this book has won many awards and is popular, I don't believe it is a good example of a book that espouses sharing in a proper way.
When I finished reading, my five year old grand daughter did not ask me to "read it again grandpa!" If she had, I would have found another book from which to tell a story and perhaps give a lesson in life.
Baby Books and more
Corduroy A tale of acceptance. This is a wonderful book for children 3-6 yrs.
The Polar Express A book for adult children
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