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Something Fishy ISBN: 9781509837991
Dunbar, Polly
Published by Two Hoots, 2018
While this picture book could be used with children under 6, I decided that the sophistication of the humour and the juxtaposition of jealous cat with a possible jealous older sibling might be missed by younger kids. The humour is splendid - laugh-out-loud sort - and will be hugely enjoyed by adults as well as their offspring. Told by the family cat, the story is of said cat's being spoiled rotten by the young couple whose cat he is. When he wants fish, he gets it, and he wants it all the time. But then something strange begins to happen. Shopping bags that should have fish in them have baby clothes instead; the cat's room that he considers his own, is repainted rather winsomely; and lots of toys begin to appear. Poor cat feels left out, and sitting on his mum's lap has got more and more difficult as she has got bigger and bigger. We know, of course, that there is a baby on the way, but all that cat knows is that he no longer has his fish, and that he doesn't feel loved. The final straw comes when mum and dad rush off in a great hurry (cat believing they are going fishing) and then arrive home with a baby! He is bereft and goes out in the cold and rain to feel sorry for himself - only to find his family following him with a large plate of fish! Could it be that his family still love him? Of course they do, and he learns to love the baby too, even though it insists on planting kisses on his furry face. The expressions on the bewildered cat's visage are altogether wonderful, and he has a good line in idiom too. This is a superb book with lots going for it, and older siblings should be able to take the lesson learned with a minimum of fuss.
Age: 6+