Fish and Sun

Starred review from March 22, 2021
It’s dark and cold and boring under the ocean in this early reader comic by Geisel Honoree Ruzzier (the Fox & Chick series), and Fish, a muddy pink individual with red fins, has had it: “I’m going out.” Up above the water’s surface, “it was also dark and cold and boring”—until a yellow shape with curly tentacles rises above the horizon, brightening the waters and the sky. “You are very warm,” Fish says admiringly to Sun, and the two fall into an easy rapport: Sun suggests a game of hide-and-seek, darting behind a cloud in a moment of subtle foreshadowing. But after a day of light and play, Fish sees that Sun is turning red and sinking lower in the sky. Though Fish does not understand that Sun’s setting prefaces its return, young readers will, adding compassionate context to the following panels, which portray Fish’s sorrow. Painted seascapes in rich colors warm minimal text by Ruzzier, and small details will draw laughter—Fish sleeps underwater with a small pillow. The understated plot allows new readers to focus on the well-chosen words and meaningful emotional arc, and Ruzzier’s slightly bonkers visual world-building keeps things fresh. Ages 4–8.

Starred review from July 1, 2021

K-Gr 2-Bored Fish ventures to the surface of the ocean in search of light and unexpectedly meets the Sun in all its glory. Fish plays games and basks in Sun's warmth, but the good times don't last long, as Fish's new companion sets for the day, leaving Fish cold and forlorn. The next day is a bright beginning as Sun peeks through the clouds to reunite with Fish. This beginning comic reader is an ideal introduction to the sequential art format, and the guided reading series provides a short tutorial for budding comic fans. Ruzzier presents a delicately designed story of friendship full of intimacy and emotion. His textured watercolors mirror the environment as well as the shifting moods of the lonely Fish. VERDICT Fish and Sun are two delightful characters who will touch readers' hearts. The perfect story for emergent readers and developing visual learners.-Claire Moore, Manhattan Beach Lib., CA

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 1, 2021
Fish and Sun become fast friends in this Level 1 entry in the I Can Read! Comics series. Fish, small and lavender-hued, is bored. It's too dark and cold in Fish's watery abode, so Fish tells Mom: "I'm going out." Unfortunately, it's "dark and cold and boring" at the surface too--that is, until Fish sees a yellow orb with long, spindly rays rise in the sky. "I'm Sun," the friendly presence says, and a friendship is born. When Sun turns red and sets, Fish mourns the loss but happily reunites with Sun the next day after the clouds part. Young readers will identify with Fish's extreme mood swings: ennui followed by elation followed by heartache ("I am afraid I will never see my friend Sun again")--and joy once again when the pair reunites. Compositions are tightly focused and uncluttered; lines are simple and clean; and details delight, such as when Fish sleeps on a pillow at the bottom of the ocean and--after Sun asks, "Do you know any tricks?"--gleefully spits water. The book nearly sparkles with color: The sun-dappled palette is one of warm, eye-catching, and elegant pastel shades. The book's dialogue is set in bold black text in clean, white speech balloons. Level 1 comics in this series promise "simple stories for shared reading," and those adults sharing this one can expect requests for rereads. A tutorial on reading comics precedes the story. A captivating new duo. (Graphic early reader. 4-8)

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Starred review from September 1, 2021
Tiny Tales: Shell Quest [I Can Read!: Comics] by Steph Waldo; illus. by the author Primary HarperAlley/HarperCollins 32 pp. g 6/21 978-0-06-306783-7 $16.99 Paper ed. 978-0-06-306782-0 $4.99 e-book ed. 978-0-06-306784-4 $4.99 These two entries in the new I Can Read!: Comics series show its audience range. Fish, for younger, almost-independent readers, features an aquatic protagonist with an all-too-familiar problem: "Mom, I'm bored." Fish leaves the dark, cold depths of the sea and encounters Sun. The two play all day until the sun sets; Fish is disconsolate until discovering that Sun returns the next day -- and every day. Uncluttered watercolor illustrations, in Ruzzier's (Good Boy, rev. 1/19; the Fox + Chick books, rev. 7/18, 7/19, and 5/21) always imaginative, slightly off-kilter style, reinforce the playful action; the natural language and phonetic patterns will serve readers well; and the emotional drama is pitch perfect. Shell, aimed at more experienced readers, features two entertainingly cartoony plump and similar-looking creatures; but while one has a snail's shell, the protagonist doesn't. Neither an acorn nor a thimble creates a satisfactory covering, but our hero -- eventually realizing it's a slug -- fits in elsewhere, and just by being itself (although still friendly with snails). The story is told in simple sequential panels, and a smart, manageable "slug v. snail" chart is appended. Both books contain useful, identical front matter with examples of differently shaped conversation balloons and a "Quick how-to-read comics guide." (Fish employs a single large panel per page that contains only simple dialogue balloons and narrative boxes, rendering the explanations somewhat extraneous.) The back covers offer sample panels that preview each book's content, allowing readers to decide for themselves if they are ready for that format. Two great concepts: I can read and I can choose. Betty Carter

(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2021
These two entries in the new I Can Read!: Comics series show its audience range. Fish, for younger, almost-independent readers, features an aquatic protagonist with an all-too-familiar problem: "Mom, I'm bored." Fish leaves the dark, cold depths of the sea and encounters Sun. The two play all day until the sun sets; Fish is disconsolate until discovering that Sun returns the next day -- and every day. Uncluttered watercolor illustrations, in Ruzzier's (Good Boy, rev. 1/19; the Fox + Chick books, rev. 7/18, 7/19, and 5/21) always imaginative, slightly off-kilter style, reinforce the playful action; the natural language and phonetic patterns will serve readers well; and the emotional drama is pitch perfect. Shell, aimed at more experienced readers, features two entertainingly cartoony plump and similar-looking creatures; but while one has a snail's shell, the protagonist doesn't. Neither an acorn nor a thimble creates a satisfactory covering, but our hero -- eventually realizing it's a slug -- fits in elsewhere, and just by being itself (although still friendly with snails). The story is told in simple sequential panels, and a smart, manageable "slug v. snail" chart is appended. Both books contain useful, identical front matter with examples of differently shaped conversation balloons and a "Quick how-to-read comics guide." (Fish employs a single large panel per page that contains only simple dialogue balloons and narrative boxes, rendering the explanations somewhat extraneous.) The back covers offer sample panels that preview each book's content, allowing readers to decide for themselves if they are ready for that format. Two great concepts: I can read and I can choose.

(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)