Comments on: Rainbow Fish Makes a Comeback at Our House

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 10:48:22 +0000

I read the book to our child and immediately had a problem with the messages in it.

It was not about “sharing” which would be a perfectly acceptable message, as Linette and a few others above have suspected.

Rainbow Fish was viciously ostracised by his peers, who were green with envy.

He didn’t share, nor was there any mutual exchange. He gave away what he had been blessed with, and received nothing more than their acceptance.

I picked it as horrid communism the first time I read it to my child (who is good at sharing I might add). On a whim, I Googled the book and it’s clear I’m not the only person who recognised it straight away.

Who needs this sort of crap in a children’s book?

By: Rai Nickkaru

Rai Nickkaru — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 01:39:54 +0000

I agree with several people here. Those who believe that this book has a political motive really need to calm down and rethink how extreme they have become. I believe this book is just for fun and a great read for kids.

By: Jacob

Jacob — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 03:22:14 +0000

come on–this is s obvious! “at the end he is the same size as the other fish”–you see this as a good thing? It’s socialism! The rainbow fish can only be happy when he is exactly the same as everyone else. “From each according to his ability to each according to his need.” The other fish didn’t do anything but complain to get the beautiful scales. This is pure socialist propaganda if I ever saw it.

By: Yuki

Yuki — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 09:33:51 +0000

Thank you for this review, it has certainly broadened my opinion of the various message this book has. Personally, I read this book as a child and believed then that it was about sharing what you love- because of course I had never heard of communism or socialism but had ingested a lot of information about sharing. And I would just like to add that the Rainbow Fish was not ostracized by the others until he was rude to the blue fish and refused to give him any scales. It may have an underlying message of conformity, but another thing to pick up on is that the Rainbow Fish still has beautiful scales without the silver ones. Simultaneously, he was happy to give away those scales. If we look at the size of The Rainbow Fish at the beginning of the book, we can see that the Rainbow Fish seems bigger than the other fish- which could be symbolic of his own vanity, whereas at the end he is the same size as the other fish. Is this truly such a large indicator of socialism. Personally, I believe it is about seeing others on the same level as yourself no matter what their looks or beliefs are.

By: david grave

david grave — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 23:56:13 +0000

Ostracism of those who look different and redemption through self mutilation: suitable vehicles to use as a metaphore for sharing?
Perhaps they are OK if no one notices them.

By: Shawn

Shawn — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 03:21:17 +0000

While I agree that it is quite ridiculous that people are getting so excited over a children’s book I must say that the message is being lost in what seems to me a profound socialist undertone. Regardless of how you come down on it, does this stuff really have a place in children’s literature? Should it? I believe, most assuredly, that no it doesn’t and shouldn’t have a place. The lesson as I saw it was that if someone asks you for something, you should give it to them. That’s not sharing. That’s bullying. I think the message of sharing is enveloped in this murky idea of people (fish) not liking you because you wouldn’t give them something. I wouldn’t read this book to my kids.

By: Ny Bestsellers List

Ny Bestsellers List — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:04:28 +0000

[...] Rainbow Fish Makes a Comeback at Our House [...]

By: anna M lewis

anna M lewis — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 15:27:06 +0000

Great post! I have to get our copy and reread it. Sadly, our copy is quite old and looks brand new. My 3 children were never interested in it. Their grandmother gave it to them. I read somewhere that grandparents/gift books were a big part of sales.
I LOVE that you are giving the girls art presents. My blog is titled ‘Got Art’. I just launched Got-ToysandGames.com where I love to review art toys. Soon, I will be launching Got-Art.com which will have a large selection for Kid Art books and reviews. Now I have to find our Rainbow Fish copy!

By: One Book Two Book Talks About a Controversial Kids Book

One Book Two Book Talks About a Controversial Kids Book — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 18:38:34 +0000

[...] over at One Book Two Book, was browsing at Amazon looking at the reviews of this book and you have to go read what she found. [...]

By: Gayla McCord

Gayla McCord — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 15:45:30 +0000

Sour people will always find something sour and miserable in everything they see and experience.

Mean people just suck!