- Age Range: 3 – 6 years
- Grade Level: Preschool and up
- Hardcover: 34 pages
- Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (August 6, 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0374360979
- ISBN-13: 978-0374360979
EXCERPT from scholastic.com:
Mr. Fish has a frown on his face — a permanent frown. As he drifts from one spot to the next, his droopy expression never changes. One by one, other sea creatures approach him, telling him he should be happier, but he always has the same reply: “I’m a pout-pout fish with a pout-pout face, so I spread dreary-wearies all over the place.” Being glum, it seems, is his destiny. Then one day a new friend tries something unexpected: She kisses him! From that moment on, Mr. Fish realizes that he isn’t a pout-pout fish after all. He’s a kiss-kiss fish, and he spreads cheery-cheeries wherever he goes. With its bright, funny illustrations and uplifting storyline, this book is guaranteed to turn the poutiest frowns upside down.
Rationale for Inclusion: The Pout Pout fish is one of my favorite picture books of all time for story time. The repetition is infectious and by the end of the book, all of the children at story time will be chanting “I’m a pout pout fish, with a pout pout face, and I spread the dreary wearies all over the place.” The rhyme scheme comes naturally while the illustrations burst with life and colorful creatures under the sea. The glumness, unhappiness, and dissatisfaction of Mr. Fish reveals how determined he is to remain unhappy for the sake of unhappiness. He is pouty just to be pouty, because he believes it is his nature. This book is excellent at explaining and practicing expression faces, an important part of learning emotion words and teaching children how to express feelings.
Pout Pout Fish read aloud by Kids Songs/ Alina Celeste:
Children's Materials: Large Group Bibliography 