Rainbow Fish to the Rescue! by Marcus Pfister Herbert, J Alison James (Translator)

From the Publisher

In this exciting new adventure, Rainbow Fish is torn between his newfound friends and a lonely striped fish who is not allowed to join the group because he lacks a shiny scale. When a dangerous and hungry shark suddenly appears, Rainbow Fish must decide: Should he risk losing his new friends - maybe even his life - for the little stranger?

Publishers Weekly

A mini-book edition of Rainbow Fish to the Rescue! by Pfister (the second adventure in the series) includes the complete text and the same glittering illustrations, as Rainbow Fish and his friends help the little striped fish avert a shark. (Sept.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Children's Literature

Rainbow fish meets a striped fish who doesn't have a shiny scale. He asks to join their game but is rebuffed. Rainbow Fish remembers how sad he felt when he had no friends. Then when a shark threatens the striped fish, Rainbow Fish and his friends know what they must do. Another story about the little fish with the shiny scales, presented in board book form, with a lesson that will not be lost on kids.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3When a little striped fish approaches the established school of fish, each of whom has one silver scale, and asks if he can play, he is turned away because he is not equipped to play ``flash tag.'' Although Rainbow Fish remembers how it felt to be excluded, he does not come to the rescue until later when the school escapes a snapping shark's jaws, leaving the striped fish to fend for himself. Then Rainbow Fish spearheads the school's diversionary maneuvers and leads the smaller fish to safety. The next game is changed so that the new member of the group can join in. Pfister uses the same ocean-hued watercolors and foil-stamped scales that he used to illustrate Rainbow Fish (North-South, 1992). The faces of the fish reflect the emotions of the text, from derision to fear. The shark is appropriately fearsome. Although it is not mandatory to have read the earlier title first, it would be helpful in order to understand his recollection of his loneliness before he shared his scales and became one of the group. The gently implied themes of sharing and friendship in the first story are expanded here to include courage. Groups may be inspired to talk about befriending others, even if they are different, or about doing what is right, even if it is not popular.Betty Teague, Blythe Elementary School, Greenville SC

BookList

A sequel to the enormously popular "Rainbow Fish" (1992), in which our hero makes friends by sharing his sparkling scales with his plainer cousins, this picture book continues the theme of belonging. When Rainbow Fish and his friends exclude a little striped fish from their game of flash tag simply because he doesn't have a flashing scale, Rainbow Fish wants to help. Unfortunately, he's afraid that he'll lose his friends if he goes against the flow. It takes a threatening shark for Rainbow Fish to rally his friends to the rescue and for the fish to accept the newcomer. Parents and teachers will find the book a good vehicle for discussing courage in the face of peer pressure. Children will find the iridescent silver highlights in the watercolor artwork beguiling and the emotions played out underwater familiar from the playground.

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