Fish and Crab

by Marianna Coppo

Overview

Fish and Crab are best friends, always there for each other. When it's time for bed, Crab is ready to go to sleep, but Fish is still wide awake, wondering: What is that noise—that ooh, ooh? What if aliens abduct us as we sleep? What if it rains frogs? What if . . . so many things?!
 
From Marianna Coppo, the critically acclaimed author of Petra, Such a Good Boy, and A Brave Cat, comes an unforgettable picture book about the friendship between two very different aquarium inhabitants. At once relatable and reassuring, Fish and Crab shows the youngest of readers that it is okay to embrace the full spectrum of our feelings—not just at bedtime, but anytime. And that even the biggest worries and "what ifs" are easier to cope with—and move on from—when someone you love and trust is there to listen.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781797225173
Publisher:	Chronicle Books LLC
Publication date:	03/14/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	425,361
File size:	67 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Marianna Coppo is the author-illustrator of Such a Good Boy and A Brave Cat. She studied editorial illustration at Mimaster in Milan, Italy, and she lives in Rome.

Editorial Reviews

01/23/2023

A worried fish enlists a roommate’s help in this underwater exploration of bedtime anxiety from Coppo (A Brave Cat). “All is quiet” when night arrives at the aquarium, and its creatures are off to bed, including Fish and Crab. But while Crab immediately falls asleep after lights out, wakeful Fish reaches out with a tentative “Are you sleeping?” After revealing concerns about all manner of potential dangers lurking behind an unknown noise—an owl or mouse in the aquarium, perhaps—irritable, sleep-deprived Crab makes Fish a cup of herbal tea, then asks for the works. “I want you to tell me ALL your worries. ALL OF THEM, all at once.” Including “WHAT IF WE ARE CHARACTERS IN A BOOK?” the what-ifs add up comically, shown in a limited color palette across several spreads. Throughout, images that juxtapose Fish’s multihued worries against grayscale evening spreads underline the vivid feel of escalating nighttime fears, and the way they can reach even the most stalwart sleeper. Gently reassuring in tone, the friends’ tale offers a gentle reminder about loving another through their distress. Ages 5–8. Agency: Debbie Bibo Agency. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

Coppo’s comedic take on runaway worries will put anxious children at ease with its simple yet expressive artwork, absurdity, and relatability…. Lessons on friendship, listening, and managing emotions go down swimmingly.” — Booklist

“[T]he friends’ tale offers a gentle reminder about loving another through their distress.” — Publishers Weekly

"A light...visually appealing bedtime story.” — Kirkus Reviews 

From the Publisher

2022-11-29
Fish’s fretting keeps roommate Crab up at night.

Crab and Fish live together in their cozy aquarium home. Crab is happy to sleep, turning off the light (resulting in a desaturated overlay) only for Fish, unable to sleep because of worries, to pipe up. Fish’s concerns range from the relatable (strange noises, unexpected animals, and contagious illness) to the outlandish (alien abduction, oversleeping into the future, and winding up in a parallel universe); the book even takes a dip into metafiction with the characters staring at readers as Fish asks, “WHAT IF WE ARE CHARACTERS IN A BOOK?” Finally, having voiced their anxieties, Fish relaxes and falls asleep, though these worries now keep Crab awake. This tale is told through minimalistic text, primarily dialogue. Things said by anyone other than the titular characters (including the narrator) are in italics, things said by Fish are in a regular font, and words spoken by Crab are in bold. While the story, especially the twist at the end, isn’t terribly unexpected, the predictability that will inhibit rereadability for some will reassure others. The art is lineless, with colorful (excepting the lights-off pages) shapes, as simple as the clean, sans-serif font, resulting in a cohesive feel (though some stark-white backgrounds undermine the nighttime premise). (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Silly what-if questions arranged into a light but visually appealing bedtime story. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews