I appreciate hearing from readers here, directly or in comments, but I am so enthralled with picture books that I'd post even if no one was reading. It genuinely matters to me when someone lets me know that the book(s) I feature here strike a chord with them. I take those regular readers as a sign of trust. Even though not every title might resonate with you, my remarks are seen as reliable and my honest opinion. That's the highest honor I could hope for.
But not every narrator is reliable, and that can be by intention.
In this case, I wrote about DON'T TRUST FISH when it first released, but am casting a wider spotlight on it now because... it deserves it!
Dial Books For Young Readers, 2025
DON'T TRUST FISH is written by Neil Sharpson and illustrated by Caldecott medalist Dan Santat. Sharpson is an award-winning novelist, but his debut dabble in the world of picture books ensures that this will not be his last. Santat's illustrations (and writing) in picture books have garnered fans and awards across many years. His recent middle grade, semi-autobiographic graphic novel won the National book Award for Youth in 2023. The cross-seasoning of backgrounds in works for mature and younger minds and hearts in this first time pairing produced an alchemy you should not miss.
Despite the undeniably powerful track records of its creators, this is proved to be a surprisingly entertaining picture book, one that states its intent on the cover and title. The crisp, retro-style art and sleepy-eyed cover fish contradicts that ominous statement in a way that invites some questions and confusions. Despite the imperative statement in the title, the opening spreads resemble a mid-century text book with simple images in muted and realistic colors facing a white-space text page with a few repetitive sentences that young readers can quickly echo. It appears that this is an instructive (even dull) science-y picture book about the classes and traits of vertebrate animals.
After spreads about mammals, birds, and others, the DON'T TRUST FISH line occurs, and is repeated. in ALL CAPS!
Ensuing spreads adopt a more high-stakes voice to indicate WHY fish are so untrustworthy, what they are "doing" that hints at sidestepping the nonfiction format. This suggests the narrator, though committed to the thesis, might be a tad suspect. Giggles will abound in the youngest. including the FINAL page turn, which really knocks your socks off.
Older readers will enjoy the humor, but can also use this remarkable book as mentor text for reading (and writing) text with unreliable narrators. This particular narrator requires readers to sort, analyze, and "consider the source", even before full evidence is revealed. There's quite a bit to be said for exploring unreliable narrators in text of all kinds, particularly as relates to ubiquitous digital technology.
The list of awards and honors for this book is already too long to list, but the best of all is that readers will love it, again and again.
On a side note, I'll be presenting a short webinar hosted by WI SCBWI on the topic of UNRELIABLE NARRATORS on February 17, 2026, and it is open to all. Those who attend live will be invited to participate in some brief activities and shared ideas, and a book giveaway will take place at the conclusion. A recording of the session will be available to those who register for a month. Readers here are invited and welcome to join! Click here the link:
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