Ugly Fish

June 26, 2006
With his murky green skin and fierce underbite, Ugly Fish rules the aquarium. "He liked gliding in... and out... of his driftwood tunnel. He liked eating his special briny flakes." But he hates to share. Each time a potential friend is introduced, he snarls, "There's only room for one fish in this
tank—me
!" He devours all interlopers, including cute yellow Teensy Fish and the cuddly duo of Stripey and Spotty Fish. In post-meal images, readers witness Ugly's pleased expression and see the victim's fin dangling from his toothy jaw; when he's lonely, he does express mild remorse ("Chasing those fish was fun. If only I hadn't eaten them"). Shortly thereafter, dark-blue Shiny Fish—so enormous he doesn't fit on the page, and with sinister dark circles under his narrow eyes—joins Ugly in the tank. Ugly acts as though he has learned his lesson, and tries to welcome the hulking newcomer. But predator becomes prey, and Shiny gets "a nice new home... all to himself." Magoon pictures the action in close-up, except for a wordless closing image of solitary Shiny, content in the rectangular tank. In this conclusion, Magoon implies the tiny territory for which the fish compete, and not least, the human hand in the fishy murders. LaReau's text, meanwhile, describes a bully's grim comeuppance. But however satisfying the vigilante justice, only a bigger bully trumps a petty tyrant. This cautionary tale shows that violence begets violence, but never suggests an alternative to the big-fish-eat-little-fish cycle. Ages 3-7.

July 1, 2006
Gr 1-4 -Ugly Fish is big, mean, and not keen on sharing his space with others. Whenever new tank-mates arrive, he chases them around and then eats them. Once they -re gone, he wishes that he had someone to play with and regrets his actions. However, wishes can be dangerous things, and soon Shiny Fish arrives on the scene. He is much larger than Ugly Fish and looks vaguely sharklike. Ugly Fish, lonely no more, proudly shows his new friend around the tank. Impressed, Shiny Fish decides he wants it all to himself, and, after a short chase, polishes off Ugly Fish with a burp. Edgy pen-and-ink, digitally colored cartoon illustrations perfectly complement the short text -s dry and wicked humor. The comically exaggerated details within the sharp pictures prevent the plot from becoming too heavy. While not for the faint of heart, this book will appeal to many kids; they -ll thoroughly enjoy its humor and shock value." -Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA"

Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2006
"There's only room for one fish in this tank--ME!" says Ugly Fish. When new fish show up, he chases then eats them. But he soon grows lonely and tries to befriend the tank's latest addition: a larger, toothier shark-like fish who wouldn't mind having the tank all to himself. Cartoonish illustrations add some humor to this trifle of a tale.

(Copyright 2006 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)