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Honest Review- The Rainbow Fish Kaitlyn Birrell

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The Rainbow Fish Hardcover – January 27, 1999

by Marcus Pfister (Author, Illustrator)

4.9 11,939 ratings

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The first book in the New York Times bestselling Rainbow Fish series.

The rainbow fish with its iridescent scales is the most beautiful fish in the whole ocean. But since he is also vain and proud, he becomes more and more lonely over time. Then he realizes that you can’t win friends through beauty. He overcomes his pride and begins to distribute his glitter scales to the other fish.

Eye-catching foil stamping, glittering on every page, offers instant child appeal, but it is the universal message at the heart of this simple story about a beautiful fish who learns to make friends by sharing his most prized possessions that gives the book its lasting value.

A CHRISTOPHER AWARD WINNER

WINNER OF THE BOLOGNA BOOK FAIR CRITICI IN ERBA PRIZE

AMERICAN BOOKSELLERS ABBY AWARD WINNER

AN IRA-CBC CHILDREN'S CHOICE

#1 PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER and WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER

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From the Publisher

Rainbow Fish with text "The New York Times Bestselling series"


	The Rainbow Fish	Rainbow Fish to the Rescue!	Rainbow Fish and the Big Blue Whale	Rainbow Fish and the Sea Monsters' Cave	Rainbow Fish Finds His Way

Customer Reviews	11,939	299	221	84	81
Price	$10.99	$16.49	$17.99	$13.13	$16.35
Discover the world of the Rainbow Fish!	Book 1	Book 2	Book 3	Book 4	Book 5


	Rainbow Fish Discovers the Deep Sea	Good Night, Little Rainbow Fish	You Can't Win Them All, Rainbow Fish	Rainbow Fish and the Storyteller	The Rainbow Fish and His Friends

Customer Reviews	113	713	116	21	11
Price	$8.96	$15.95	$18.95	$12.86	$17.99
Discover the world of the Rainbow Fish!	Book 6	Book 7	Book 8	Book 9	Collection


	The Rainbow Fish board book	Merry Christmas, Rainbow Fish	El Pez Arco Iris (Spanish Edition)	Rainbow Fish Folding Storage Box	Rainbow Fish Puzzle Box

Customer Reviews	5,801	44	632	1	1
Price	$5.94	$9.29	$10.95	$29.99	$15.29
Discover the world of the Rainbow Fish!	Book 1 for ages 0-3	A Christmas book for ages 0-3	A Spanish language edition	Store your books in this beautiful box!	A 36-piece sparkling puzzle!

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

If you read this very popular book just before bed, and the light is still on in the hallway, you can make the rainbow scales glitter on the page, and realize why the Rainbow Fish was so proud of his beautiful decoration. Sometimes, though, being too proud of outside beauty can blind a fish, or a child (or even, heaven forbid, a parent) to the beauty people hold inside. That's the lesson of this simple tale, imported from Switzerland. It's a useful one for future sneaker and designer clothing shoppers, for rainbow fish--and for quieter, plainer minnows, too.

From Publishers Weekly

Despite some jazzy special effects achieved with shimmery holographs, this cautionary tale about selfishness and vanity has trouble staying afloat. Rainbow Fish, "the most beautiful fish in the entire ocean," refuses to share his prized iridescent scales--which, indeed, flash and sparkle like prisms as each page is turned. When his greed leaves him without friends or admirers, the lonely fish seeks advice from the wise octopus, who counsels him to give away his beauty and "discover how to be happy." The translation from the original German text doesn't enhance the story's predictable plot, and lapses into somewhat vague descriptions: after sharing a single scale, "a rather peculiar feeling came over Rainbow Fish." Deep purples, blues and greens bleed together in Pfister's liquid watercolors; unfortunately, the watery effect is abruptly interrupted by a few stark white, text-only pages. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ North-South Books; Later Printing edition (January 27, 1999)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1558580093
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1558580091
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 1 - 5 years, from customers
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ AD610L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.7 x 0.4 x 11.3 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #675 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3 in Children's Fish Books (Books)
- #5 in Children's Values Books
- #10 in Children's Friendship Books

Customer Reviews:
4.9 11,939 ratings

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Marcus Pfister

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Marcus Pfister has written and illustrated many books for North-South, including the popular Penguin Pete and Hopper series. His books The Rainbow Fish, Rainbow Fish to the Rescue!, and Rainbow Fish and the Big Blue Whale have become international best-sellers.

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11,939 global ratings

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Richard E. Jones Sr.

This was a gift

Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2024

Verified Purchase

This was a baby shower gift and the mother liked it

Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2024

Verified Purchase

Reminds me of my childhood

Helpful

Joni Thomas

Wonderful book-Rainbow Fish

Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2024

Verified Purchase

This book was given as a baby shower gift. The book was loved by son and daughter growing up. Everybody needs a little shiny scale or two!

2 people found this helpful

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Amy L Monahan

I bought this copy for myself

Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2024

Verified Purchase

I think it was a very good book

One person found this helpful

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Arlene

Age for children's book

Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2024

Verified Purchase

I absolutely love this book. This also was bought as a gift. I read this to my daughter when she was little very often. She liked it that much it was a favorite.

Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2023

Verified Purchase

Books are my favorite gift to first-time parents and children. I love to choose books that I read or was read in school or library story times. Classic stories to be passed on for generations.

One person found this helpful

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booksnyarn

Enduring book about sharing, forgiveness and acceptance

Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2022

Verified Purchase

My children enjoyed this book decades ago and I just purchased one for my grandchild. Honestly, I am shocked by the overthinking criticism, few yet strident. We saw the book's message as mainly one for sharing. Yes, the rainbow fish was showy and arrogant and the plain fish not particularly nice. But isn't this like real life? We tolerate arrogant people with more than we have because they may have other redeeming qualities, like helping out others in need. Jealousy, whether overt or not, is a common response. Children have to deal with this and to give someone the benefit of the doubt and a second chance. How else would they grow into compassionate, empathetic adults and ones who know the power of sharing and giving? Maybe I am in la-la land, but given the way attitudes are these days, maybe I should not be surprised at the negativity towards a simple message in a children's book.

13 people found this helpful

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Frank Hudspeth

My 9 Year Old Granddaughters Favorite Book

Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2021

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I buy my grandchildren 3 or 4 books for Christmas each year since they get plenty of toys from everyone else. I believe in real books not electronics and I maybe old fashioned but I think you should encourage reading it can teach you about anything to expand your mind and thoughts. So I gave this book to one of my grandaughters. I ask her after she had a little time to read her books which one was her favorite and this book was her favorite. I always read the books before I give them to the kids and log each book so I do not give the the same book twice and I put a label in each book the year and their name and I try to buy only hard cover books to with stand time. I got this idea from my youngest daughter before she could read I bought her books and she would go to bed every night on her own and took a book with her as she laid there looking at the pictures she would fall asleep and she turns 35 this year and two daughters of her own and they all have enjoyed those books. My daughter is a RN and still furthering her education she has a love for knowledge and I wished I had thought about doing this much sooner with my older 4 children.

3 people found this helpful

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Colégio Notre Dame

The Rainbow Fish

Reviewed in Brazil on August 28, 2023

Verified Purchase

Gostaria de solicitar a alteração do CPF na Nota Fiscal 058.528.526 pelo CNPJ em nome do colégio Notre Dame:
60.993.193/0011-22

15.436.940/0003-67

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Debs2020

A book beautifully written and illustrated with a wonderful message delivered

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 23, 2024

Verified Purchase

I first bought this when teaching around year 2000 and have bought many copies to give away ever since. It has a powerful message hidden within its sparkly pages. I would say it could be for readers almost any age - I can't think of anyone who wouldn't enjoy the story and the amazing pictures.