FABULOUS FINISH: The Birthday Fish

The Birthday Fish
By Dan Yaccarino
Henry Holt and Co., 2005. Picture book.

Cynthia loves ponies more than anything else. Every year she wishes for a pony for her birthday, but every year she has gotten something else. This year, however, she is absolutely sure her parents have finally gotten her a pony. When her gift turns out to be a goldfish instead, she is so upset she starts to pour the fish down the drain. The quick-thinking goldfish speaks up and declares that he is a magical fish and if Cynthia will set him free in the lake, he will grant her a wish. Cynthia wishes for two ponies and sets off. Is one simple walk to the lake enough to change the mind of a pony-loving girl?

Both Cynthia and her goldfish have fun, quirky personalities, and there is plenty of humor in both the text and the illustrations of this picture book. Yaccarino’s bright and stylized artwork will be familiar to those who know his animated TV character, Oswald the Octopus. This is a fun take on the childhood frustration of wanting a pet you can’t have and comes to a satisfying conclusion.

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