The Rainbow Fish
The glittering scales make possession, envy, giving, and the resulting change in social relationships immediately visible.
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister is estimated to take about 7.5 minutes to read aloud (611 words, 2 sentences a spread). Best for ages 3-5.
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- Estimated read-aloud time
- about 7.5 minutesEstimated read-aloud time
- Words
- 611Word count
- Sentences per spread
- 2Text density
- Re-read tolerance
- 3/5holds up
- Vocabulary level
- 3/5a few new words
- Best for
- Ages 3-5Age range
Our review
Rainbow Fish refuses to share his glittering scales, becomes isolated, then gives them away one by one and joins the other fish. The visible redistribution makes generosity concrete, but it also ties belonging to surrendering a prized part of oneself.
Use it to debate the bargain rather than announce one moral. Should I Share My Ice Cream? gives generosity a perishable deadline without asking the owner to give away identity-defining beauty; Rainbow Fish raises the harder questions about sharing, status, and social pressure.
Before you buy it
The story can imply that acceptance must be purchased by giving away something special; invite disagreement with that premise.
Themes
- sharing
- fish
- friendship
- glitter
- generosity
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