Release: April 1st, 2021
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Peachtree Publishing Company
Source: Publisher
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, Kobo
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When Lillian turns six, her favorite gift is an extraordinary fish whose body shimmers with all the rainbow colors. But when the brand-new birthday fish disappears, Lillian is devastated.
While she and her brothers try to unravel the mystery, the other family pets–the horse, the goat, the dog, the cat, the turtle, the spider, and the bird–secretly band together to find out what has happened to the little fish. A trail of clues soon leads the animals on a fantastic adventure along the river and deep into the woods, where they encounter new places and strange creatures.
James Menk’s delightful, lively tale of discovery and friendship will enchant readers of all ages. Louisa Bauer’s captivating drawings bring this charming story of children and their pets to life.
About the Author:
James Menk drew upon the classic fairy tales and folk tales he read as a child to write Lillian’s Fish.
A graduate of St. Lawrence University, Menk lives in Vermont.
Lillian’s Fish Review:
Firstly I have to commend the author’s style of writing. The author writes the tale in a beautiful, whimsical childlike manner that made me love it so much! It made me reminisce about the classic Enid Blyton books I read when I was growing up. While I usually wouldn’t say I like stories that repeat dialogues, I will make an exception to this tale because it added so nicely to the theme.
All the animals are adorable as they go on their quest to find the fish. I loved the moments when they come across the bear and how they outsmart him from eating them. My favorite was the turtle and the cat. I thought they contributed a lot to the story and made it entertaining. The heron, trout, and frogs also add well and make the story fun. I felt bad for the spider because he did not get enough spotlight as the other animals.
Probably my only minor criticism of the story is the illustrations. Don’t get me wrong; I adored the pictures and thought they complimented the story seamlessly. However, the expression of the characters felt off, especially the humans. Lillian always has a shocked or sullen expression on her face, when in fact, she is happy and excited in the story. It would have been nice if they made the character’s facial expressions fit with the storyline. Apart from that, I found the story perfect!
Overall, “Lillian’s Fish” is a beautiful book to give middle-graders to get them interested in reading. Even adults will enjoy this cute adventure novel as it might remind them of their childhood.
