Fish Had a Wish

Fish Had a Wish

Michael Garland, author illustrator

Holiday House, 2012, Fiction

Suitable for:  Ages – 4-6 years “I Like to Read”

Themes:  Fishes, Contentment, Self-Acceptance, Wishes

Opening/Synopsis:  Fish had a wish.  “I wish I were a bird!” said Fish.  “I could fly high up in the sky.”   Fish looks longingly around at the other animals — a turtle napping, a skunk making a big stink, a butterfly with pretty wings — and wishes it could be something different.  Then a bug comes along and fish gulps it in one bite.   Perhaps being a fish isn’t so bad.

Why I like this book:  This is a great summer book so simply written that children will want to read it again and again.   I like the word repetition and sounds.   Garland has written and illustrated a breathtaking book that is a feast for the eyes.  He has used a “digi-wood technique,”  which draws from Asian and classical European wildlife art.  Each double-page spread has a wood grain  background and is full of rich texture.  Children will have fun studying each illustration for the detail.  The book will certainly captivate a child’s imagination.  Check out all Michael Garland’s books on his website.