How do you feel about "The Rainbow Fish?"

[Fairy]

The truth is that I hate this book. I can't believe it was a major award-winner. I am pretty sure most people disagree with me. But I wanted to poll it and see how others feel.

Ok, poll up. I hope that covers it.

[citymama]

I've seen it but never read it. We love Swimmy here though!

[hobie]

DS #3 is NOT a fan of the octopus, so we rarely read it.

[lfp2n]

I don't like it- always seems like you can 'buy' friends. The other fish only like him when he gives them something. Not a big fan of overly-messagey books anyway

[Melaine]

Ok, I think we have another rainbow fish book....like 2nd in the series maybe? It's a board book....I'm going to have to hunt it down.

ETA: This is the one we have: http://www.amazon.com/Rainbow-Fish-Rescue-Mini-Book/dp/0735814813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269279736&sr=8-1
I actually do dislike it, as a matter of fact, but not for any particular reason except I just thought the story was so-so and not very engaging, even for a board book.

Guess I haven't read the real one.

[Piglet]

:yeahthat: The book "disappeared" one day and has never been seen or heard from again.


I don't like it- always seems like you can 'buy' friends. The other fish only like him when he gives them something. Not a big fan of overly-messagey books anyway

[egoldber]

I don't like it- always seems like you can 'buy' friends. The other fish only like him when he gives them something.

:yeahthat:

I know I'm overthinking it, but I really didn't like it.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I hate this book. Hate it. I feel the same way about needing to buy friends. It is a shame that the story sucks so much b/c it was beautiful. Before I knew the book I saw art work of it at Target before ds1 was born. I was going to buy it for the nursery. Then I read the book and refused to buy it.

Beth

[ray7694]

I am a librarian and was surprised at your post. There are some really offensive books out there that are really popular like Junie B, The Stupids, Dumb Bunnies, Captain Underpants, and Diary of Wimpy Kid.


Rainbow fish is only the beginning unfortunately.

[missym]

:yeahthat: The book "disappeared" one day and has never been seen or heard from again.

Same here. Too bad because the artwork is lovely.

[Piglet]

I am a librarian and was surprised at your post. There are some really offensive books out there that are really popular like Junie B, The Stupids, Dumb Bunnies, Captain Underpants, and Diary of Wimpy Kid.


Rainbow fish is only the beginning unfortunately.

Actually, the books you mentioned are all books my DS1 and all his peers love to read. My feeling is that any book that an 8 year old wants to read rather than watch TV is a good book.

The difference with Rainbow Fish is that at that age kids will listen to any book, so why not make it a book with a better message?

[smiles33]

Wow, I'm really surprised at some of the other reactions. I just thought it was a nice message about sharing.

[Fairy]

I am a librarian and was surprised at your post. There are some really offensive books out there that are really popular like Junie B, The Stupids, Dumb Bunnies, Captain Underpants, and Diary of Wimpy Kid.


Rainbow fish is only the beginning unfortunately.

I must say, I really stepped in it with Captain Underpants. I read ONE of these and thought it was very clever and cute. I forget which one, it was before DS. Cut to 10 years later or whatever it was, and my grandmother asked what she could get DS and I said, how about a Captain Underpants book. One Cpatain Underpants book. She got all eight of them (hoping there aren't more), and I read him the first one and thought, well, it's not as great as I remember, but ok. then the second. Then the third I had to stop reading, but I don't remember what number int eh series it was. Let's not even talk about the horribleness of #8 where I had to make up my own words jsut to get thru a few pages, and then I said, all done, honey, bedtime. I haven't found a way to disappear these books, cuz DS knows where they are. The message of some of these things is so horrible --> Teachers and principals are terrible people, it's ok to write mean things about people, potty humor is always funny. Ok, sometimes it is funny. But I digress. Do not be captivated by the clever aliteration of the Purple Potty People, cuz these books suck.

[Momof3Labs]

I don't like it- always seems like you can 'buy' friends. The other fish only like him when he gives them something.

:yeahthat:

Buying friends does not = sharing

[JTsMom]

I don't like it- always seems like you can 'buy' friends. The other fish only like him when he gives them something. Not a big fan of overly-messagey books anyway
:yeahthat:

[ncat]

I like the pictures.
The message makes me uncomfortable.

[funda62]

Actually, the books you mentioned are all books my DS1 and all his peers love to read. My feeling is that any book that an 8 year old wants to read rather than watch TV is a good book.

The difference with Rainbow Fish is that at that age kids will listen to any book, so why not make it a book with a better message?

:yeahthat: My daughter loves Junie B and I'm happy for her to read them since she is reading something. She just can't handle longer books right now even when the subjects really engage her.

[maestramommy]

I like the book. But my view might be colored by the fact that I first read it during a music teacher workshop, and we did a little role play with a vest and colored circles. I think the message is a pretty good one, and not particularly heavy handed.

ETA: Wow, just read the other responses! I guess it never occurred to me that the fish was buying friends. I mean, he was pretty stuck up in the beginning. I thought of it as more a change in attitude rather than just giving his scales away.

I still like the book.

[liamsmom]

I just received this for DS a few months ago. I thought the story was pretty boring and the fish was a boring character. I didn't put much thought into it other than that. At least DS likes the sparkles.

[ehf]

I teach middle school English. I'm always surprised by elementary school teachers I meet who use the Rainbow Fish as a class theme. The message is terrible.

I also disagree, though, that any book an 8 year old wants to read is better than TV. Ask librarians, teachers, other kids, community bookstore employees, parents, etc. for recommendations. There's no reason to compromise your values with your child's reading material, any more than you'd compromise them with anything else.

[MamaMolly]

Fairy, I can't answer your poll because there isn't a choice of 'I hate this book with the heat of 1,000 suns'.

A book to teach toddlers that in order to fit in you have to give pieces of yourself away? It is a horrible, horrible, horrible message. I don't know if I'd say it is a communist message but I do think that this is what Reviving Ophelia was all about. Why plant the seed in preschool when I have to rip the evil weed out in high school?

I think the colors and illustrations are beautiful but it will *never* cross the threshold at my house.