The Pout-Pout Fish in the Big-Big Dark

by Deborah Diesen, Dan Hanna (Illustrator), William Dufris (Read by)

Overview

This e-book includes audio narration.

Mr. Fish wants to help his friend Ms. Clam when she loses her pearl, but though he's fast as a sailfish, as smart as dolphin, and as strong as a shark, Mr. Fish has a secret: he's scared of the dark!

Very young children will swim along with Mr. Fish as he journeys deep into the ocean to new and mysterious places. They will discover, as Mr. Fish does, the power of friendship to light the way through the big-big dark.

Customer Reviews

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781466875524
Publisher:	Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date:	07/22/2014
Series:	Pout-Pout Fish Adventure Series , #2
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	54 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Deborah Diesen is the New York Times bestselling author of The Pout-Pout Fish, named by Time magazine as one of the Ten Best Children's Books of 2008. She has worked as a bookseller and a librarian, and now works for a small nonprofit organization. She lives with her family in Grand Ledge, Michigan.

Dan Hanna has over ten years' experience in the animation industry, and his work has appeared on the Cartoon Network. He lives in Oxnard, California.

Deborah Diesen is the New York Times bestselling author of The Pout-Pout Fish, named by Time Magazine as one of the Ten Best Children’s Books of 2008, and The Pout-Pout Fish in the Big-Big Dark. Diesen grew up in Midland, Michigan, and started writing poems at a young age. She has worked as a bookseller and a librarian, and now works for a small nonprofit organization, but her greatest joy comes from writing for children. She lives with her family in Grand Ledge, Michigan.
DAN HANNA has over ten years’ experience in the animation industry, and his work has appeared on BBC America and the Cartoon Network. He lives in Santa Barbara, California. He is the illustrator of the Pout-Pout Fish books.

William Dufris began his audio career in London, England. He co-found the audio production company The Story Circle, Ltd in the UK.  In the US, he founded Mind’s Eye Productions and co-founded Rocky Coast Radio Theatre in addition to The AudioComics Company, for which he is producer, director, actor and engineer.  Durfis was nominated six times as a finalist for the APA's prestigious Audie Awards.  He garnered eighteen Golden Earphones Awards through AudioFile magazine, which honored him as one of The Best Voices at the End of the Century.  Of his work, AudioFile said, "William Dufris commands a dazzling array of voices that bring to life the dozens of audiobooks he’s narrated."  His audiobook credits include many of Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen, Ph.D.'s works, such as Days of Infamy and Pearl Harbor, in addition to George McGovern’s Abraham Lincoln, Neal Stephenson’s Cryptonomicon and John Scalzi’s The Ghost Bridges.

 

Dufris acted on stage and in television and is best known as the original North American voice of the cartoon character Bob in Nickelodeon's popular children's show, Bob the Builder. Additionally, he worked with legendary director Dirk Maggs on his audio drama productions of Spider-Man.

Editorial Reviews

In this sequel to The Pout-Pout Fish, Mr. Fish promises Ms. Clam that he will retrieve her lost pearl, but as he swims closer to the dark sea bottom, "his heart flit-fluttered." With Miss Shimmer's help, however, he may find the pearl--and his inner courage. With colorful seascapes and bright-eyed ocean characters, Hanna gives this spirited tale light doses of humor ("Rest stop!" reads a neon sign on an anglerfish's lure), as Diesen delivers a gentle moral: "The ocean is wide,/ And the ocean is deep,/ But friends help friends--/ That's a promise we keep." Ages 2-5. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

The playful, rhyming verse is well matched with Hanna's funny cartoon illustrations.” —School Library Journal

“With colorful seascapes and bright-eyed ocean characters, Hanna gives this spirited tale light doses of humor (‘Rest stop!’ reads a neon sign on an anglerfish's lure), as Diesen delivers a gentle moral: ‘The ocean is wide,/ And the ocean is deep,/ But friends help friends—/ That's a promise we keep.’.” —Publishers Weekly

“An entertaining read-aloud and a nice lighthearted vehicle for dealing with fear.” —Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

Pout-Pout Fish swims through deep ocean waters in search of Mrs. Clam’s pearl; but he realizes the water keeps getting deeper and darker and he shows his vulnerability as he reveals that he is afraid of the dark. Somehow, a calm voice keeps sounding and drawing him on until he feels that he is more scared than he’s ever been. Just in time, the fish with the calm voice joins him Together they are able to retrieve the pearl and all ends well. This excellent sized board book holds intrigue, scariness within a tale of how more fish are better than just one. It is easy to pick up on the idea that friends work well when they work on something together. The rhyming stanzas trip along nicely, with some stanzas using repetition “I’m FAST as a sailfish, I’m STRONG as a shark, I’m SMART as a dolphin, “But I’m SCARED OF THE DARK!” to drive home a point. Fantastically funny illustrations add to the text and deserve many looks. Little readers and listeners will enjoy the humor, story, and lesson put forth here. Add this to preschool classrooms or homes with young children for a sure success. This is just one book in the popular “Pout-Pout Fish” series. Reviewer: Nancy Garhan Attebury; Ages 3 to 7.

Children's Literature - Nancy Garhan Attebury

Mr. Fish, hero of The Pout-Pout Fish, promises to find the pearl Ms. Clam has lost during a drowsy yawn. Rhymed couplets describe his search, beginning at the bottom of the sea around Ms. Clam to where the water is deeper and the light dimmer. Here he admits, in a repeated refrain, that he's "...scared of the dark." He seeks further from the shore, down a slope, up to a trench. Then down into the scary dark trench he goes, almost ready to break his promise and return home when, encouraged and accompanied by Miss Shimmer, he finds the pearl. When they bring it back to a delighted Ms. Clam, "the whole gang" sings about how "...friends help friends." Hanna's sea world is full of amusing fishy creatures, some resembling those found in nature, but many others invented by the artist. All coexist in playful interaction, with light supplied by a fish that sports a lantern dangling from its head. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz

Children's Literature - Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz

PreS-Gr 1—Mr. Fish goes on an undersea adventure to reclaim Ms. Clam's lost pearl. Repeating his mantra, "I'm FAST as a sailfish,/I'm STRONG as a shark,/I'm SMART as a dolphin," he nervously admits, "But I'm SCARED OF THE DARK!" As he ventures through deeper and darker waters, his resolution falters: "I know I made a promise,/But this fish is headin' back!" With the help of Miss Shimmer and Mr. Lantern, he not only conquers his fears, but also finds the missing pearl. The playful, rhyming verse is well matched with Hanna's funny cartoon illustrations. The whimsical sea creatures include a puffer fish reading Diesen's The Pout-Pout Fish (Farrar, 2008). A buoyant tale.—Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada

School Library Journal

Mr. Fish heroically offers to find Ms. Clam's lost pearl, and as he ventures forth, gentle suspense ensues when he finds himself heading for deeper and darker waters. Young readers will enjoy the energetic and detailed cartoon-like illustrations of this friendly-yet-mysterious underwater world (the scenes deep in the ocean trench are particularly effective), while the rollicking, rhythmic text will have readers diving in with Mr. Fish as he repeatedly admits, "I'm FAST as a sailfish, I'm STRONG as a shark, I'm SMART as dolphin...But I'm scared of the dark." Fans of The Pout-Pout Fish (2008) will find just as much to love here, and any youngster who has been afraid of the dark will identify with Mr. Fish's struggle. Luckily, our hero has dedicated friends who help him deal with his anxiety, continue on his quest and keep his promise to Ms. Clam. The final notes of friendship and bravery will resonate with young readers. An entertaining read-aloud and a nice lighthearted vehicle for dealing with fear. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews