The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen – Book Review & Guest Reviewer

We are pleased to welcome Elaine at Military Wife After God  as a guest book reviewer on our site. She is a mom to four young boys and reads them many books! See Elaine’s bio below the review for more information about her.

Review of the New York Times Bestseller: The Pout-Pout Fish

Author: Deborah Diesen
Illustrator: Dan Hanna
Published by: Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers/ mackids.com
Released: 2008

Ages: 3-6 years

Order from Chapters/Indigo, Amazon.ca or Amazon.com*

From the Publisher:

Swim along with the pout-pout fish as he discovers that being glum and spreading ‘dreary-wearies’ isn’t really his destiny. Bright ocean colors and playful rhyme come together in this fun fish story that’s sure to turn even the poutiest of frowns upside down.

A Time magazine Top Ten Children’s Book

DESCRIPTION:

This book describes the pout-pout fish’s gloomy journey of explaining to his friends that he cannot help but be sad all the time. But then, after talking to his last friend in the book, he realizes he really isn’t a pout pout fish after all. This book teaches that you can make someone’s day better (and maybe even completely change their outlook on life like in this book) by simply being nice to someone.

MY EXPERIENCE:

I never thought I’d have a favorite book to read to my boys, but I NEVER get tired of this one! It’s so cute. I personally love that they make a board book of the Pout-Pout Fish because my 2-year old twins like to destroy things so the board book is durable and withstands my “twinadoes”. My 4 year old and my twins all love this book and giggle every time we read it. They have a BUNCH of different versions of this book, even ones for every holiday like Happy Easter, Pout-Pout Fish and The Not Very Merry Pout-Pout Fish. They also have ones for school-aged children like The Pout-Pout Fish and the Bully Bully Shark and The Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School. This series would be great for any time of year and under many different circumstances. My twins’ speech therapist also recommends this book because of the great phonological awareness and pairing of sounds in the book.

LIKES:

• I love the words in the original Pout-Pout Fish book! It’s difficult to not read it in a sing-songy voice because there is a fun “beat” to the words.
• It relays a great message to children that being nice to someone can make their day so much better!
• The illustrations are creative and capture the emotions in the story.
• That it comes in a board book format for younger children.

DISLIKES:

• None!

WHY/HOW USE IT WITH KIDS:

• Can begin a discussion on how important it is to be nice to others and the effect that has on them

ABOUT THE AUTHOR / ILLUSTRATOR:

Deborah Diesen is the author of many children’s picture books, including the NYT-bestselling The Pout-Pout Fish.  She loves playing with words and rhymes and rhythms.  She has worked as a bookseller, a bookkeeper, and a reference librarian.  She and her family live in Michigan.

Dan Hanna  is composed of approximately 37 trillion cells. The great majority of these tiny troopers are working diligently to keep him going for a bit longer. He and his trillions of associates like to visit local coffee shops, scribble maniacally and laugh amongst themselves. They all live happily with his wife Jennifer (and all of her cells) in Oxnard, California.

Order from Chapters/Indigo, Amazon.ca or Amazon.com*

*Denotes Affiliate Link – see Disclosures page

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Guest Reviewer Bio:

Elaine is a military wife and loves doing life with her husband by her side. She is a mommy to 4 little boys (including one set of twins!) and loves spending time with God, horseback riding, hunting with her husband, and being a stay at home mama. Her husband, Luke, is recently home from his third tour and just met their youngest son (at 4 months old) for the first time! She hopes to encourage other wives, mothers, and women – military or not – to pursue God in every aspect of their lives.  Follow Elaine in these ways:

Website – Military Wife After God

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