The Curious Fish Hardcover – Illustrated, 24 Sept. 2009

This is a great story but made even better by the lovely illustrations and quality paper used

This book is absolutely enchanting! I read it with my nanny-child who is a boy of three, he loved it completely and utterly! The message of the book is absorbed subconsciously as you read; it teaches unselfishness, empathy for others and the joy of being helpful; also that mistakes can be corrected. A young boy catches a curious fish and puts him in a jam jar in his room. But the little fish is sad and his relatives miss him so much they decide to grow feet and walk into the boy's bedroom to demand his return! It is very captivating and entertaining. The young boy feels contrite and runs back to the sea to put the little fish back in his home. There is a wonderful ending where the little boy learns to swim like a fish so he can see his new friend again.

wonderful little book

Our 7 and 4 year olds say they find this book funny and like the pictures but they don't ask for the book to be read that often - but, as I said on a review of Princess Sylvie, they vastly prefer the smaller sized Floris editions of Beskow's books. I found the story peculiar and the pictures of fish walking about on two legs were ugly in my opinion. I didn't feel Beskow did as much with the story as she could have done - and it just feels a bit flat.