A Fish Out of Water
By Wesley Eure
Pelican, $14.95
ISBN 1565548507
REVIEW BY DEE ANN GRAND
Prefer a not-too-schmaltzy Valentine's (or anytime) story that nudges grown-ups and children into the lost art of side-by-side reading? Wesley Eure, fondly remembered for television's Land of the Lost and Days of Our Lives, has authored another children's fantasy story. The Red Wings of Christmas was his first, and we hope A Fish Out of Water won't be his last. It's a story less about romance and more about appreciating each other's uniqueness.
Part of the fun in this book is its animated typography that mimics the action. When the fish dives down into the sea or the bird swoops up into the air, so do the words. Cut-paper collage technique and handmade textures, all illustrated and designed by art students at Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina, create unusual viewpoints, amplifying the book's undertone of seeing others' point of view. A multi-level book with a clear message. That's a good read.
With a mom's thumbs-up rating, the kid-predictable words (such as the character names) have consistent visual clues that are illustrated with easy-to-remember colors and shapes. That means nonreaders get to read, too. Yea! A Fish Out of Water is self-described as "a unique collaboration." It truly is.
This little corner is a salute to those overachieving writers, artists and publishers who rebel against the bookmaking norm (whatever that is) and insist on creating a one-of-a-kind. If you spot any new baby ducks that refuse to swim in a single file, feel free to alert the editor: deeann@bookpage.com
© 2001 ProMotion, inc.
A multi-level book with a clear message. That's a good read.
With a mom's thumbs-up rating, the kid-predictable words (such as the character names) have consistent visual clues that are illustrated with easy-to-remember colors and shapes. That means nonreaders get to read, too. Yea! A Fish Out of Water is self-described as "a unique collaboration." It truly is.
Dee Ann Grand
Children’s Book Page
