Common Sense Media Review
By Jan Carr
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Strong, spunky girl takes lead in quirky rescue tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE ONLY FISH IN THE SEA, Sherman arrives breathless on his bicycle to alert his friend Sadie that a helpless goldfish, still in its plastic bag, has been dropped off the dock into the sea. Little Amy Scott was the culprit. When she got it for her birthday, she callously declared, "Goldfish are boring!" How clueless! Sadie leaps into action, taking up the cause in a big way, and plans an elaborate sea journey with the help of six monkeys, the townspeople, Sherman, and a crow. They have some close encounters with very large ocean creatures, but somehow, miraculously, the bag with the goldfish is delivered up intact by a churning wave. They bring the goldfish to the town fountain, where all the townspeople gather to welcome it, and the fish "will feel lucky to have so many friends."
Is It Any Good?
This unusual story about an oddball rescue operation has a spunky female mastermind, a motley group of friends that includes monkeys in sailor garb, and a definite off-beat feel. Even the paging in The Only Fish in the Sea signals that it's unconventional. We read five pages of text before turning to the copyright and title pages. The book has a lot of star power behind it. Author Philip C. Stead, well-known for his Caldecott-winning A Sick Day for Amos McGee, again explores animal-human friendship, though in this book, the story's more drily funny than sweetly tender and heartfelt. The girl who so thoughtlessly discarded the goldfish gets her comeuppance when she has to spend her birthday alone.
There's so much to follow in the art that it almost feels like a search-and-find book. Artist Matthew Cordell has lots of fun with the inhabitants of the seaside town, many of whom are graying and wizened, giving the place an old-salt feel. His people have a sketchy quality that brings to mind Quentin Blake's illustrations for Roald Dahl books, which makes perfect sense, since this story's equally eccentric. And he finds lots of opportunities to underscore Sadie's independent streak. When we first meet her, we see her taking apart and tinkering with her bicycle. If you're looking to spice up your story time, this story adds plenty of salt.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the rescue in The Only Fish in the Sea. How does it happen, exactly? Can you go back and piece together each step? What are the balloons used for? The paint? How do the monkeys help?
While they're out on the ocean, how does Sadie feel about the rescue? How does Sherman feel? What clues can you get about their individual reactions from the art?
What parts of the story seem real to you? What parts of the story seem far-fetched and funny?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Matthew Cordell
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship , Animals ( Ocean Creatures )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Roaring Brook Press
- Publication date : August 15, 2017
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 3 - 6
- Number of pages : 40
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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