The Weird Fish follows Pearl, a little fish who loves to sing, dance, and show off her bright colors. She’s proud of looking different from her family, even though they laugh at her and leave her out. Then she wakes up to find that they’ve gone, and no one she asks will help her. Nydoria Tiombe gives this children’s book an unusually painful starting point: Pearl’s fear is immediate, and her question about whether she still deserves a family stays with her as the story moves on. Her confidence at the beginning makes the loss feel personal. Readers have met a lively, curious fish before they see how deeply she’s hurt.

Pearl’s hurt soon spills into her school day. She insults Mrs. Starfish, mocks the Crablettes and seahorses, and frightens some octopuses for a laugh. These scenes show how the treatment she received from her family has begun to shape the way she treats others. An older fish stops Pearl and urges her to remember who she is. Later, Pearl mistakes her reflection in a discarded bottle for another fish and calls it ugly. It’s a memorable turning point, especially because Pearl has to recognize her own face before she can face what’s happened to her. The older fish’s sudden appearance and disappearance add a touch of mystery to that change.

Early coral reef scenes surround yellow and pink Pearl with lively plants and sea creatures, while her purple family swims nearby with stern expressions. When Pearl retreats into a hole to cry, the water turns dark, and she appears small against it. As her behavior changes, the artwork shows her in deep blue tones, giving children a visible way to follow a feeling that’s hard to name. The bottle scene is especially effective: Pearl faces a blue reflection that looks back at her with tears in its eyes. By the final reef scene, her warm colors return amid smiling crabs, an octopus, and other fish.

The ending comes quickly after Pearl’s recognition. She weeps again, then returns to singing and dancing as the sea creatures gather around her. That pace leaves room for a conversation with young readers about what rebuilding friendships might take after Pearl has frightened and mocked her classmates. It also keeps the story’s attention on the quality Pearl valued from the start: she’s different, and she’s glad to be herself. The Weird Fish handles abandonment and unkind behavior directly, with expressive images that invite children to pause over Pearl’s feelings at each stage. It’s a story well suited to reading together, especially when an adult can give Pearl’s harder moments the time they deserve.

Pages: 24 | ISBN: 1637657994