With this third book by Kevin McCloskey about everyday wildlife, publisher Toon Books has tagged the series “Giggle and Learn”. After We Dig Worms! and The Real Poop on Pigeons! comes Something’s Fishy.
Since this is a Level 1 comic, aimed at grades K-1, the book is light on the kind of substantial, encyclopedic educational content adults expect, but if you like to look at fish, there are a whole bunch presented here, and in an entertaining way. There’s one for every letter of the alphabet, some of which were so silly I thought they were fake. But it turns out there really are a Footballfish and a Monkeyface Prickleback.
Another amusing element is how the kids teaching their pets (and us) about fish have to say that most of the facts apply to “almost” all fish, because there are always exceptions. I like both the lack of absolutism and the enthusiasm the characters (and author) have. It’s neat to see the weird exceptions of fish without spines and those that can breathe air.
There’s also a useful lesson on how the fish you see in movies (with a picture of a clownfish, as in Finding Nemo) aren’t as good as pets as the goldfish. The book finishes up with some more information and history about them. The lessons here are more subtle and comedic than your straightforward educational work, but that makes this, as with McCloskey’s other books, a fun read, particularly for kids interested in the topic or contemplating a finny pet. (The publisher provided a review copy.)