DON'T TRUST FISH: Unreliable Narrators

    

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:

DON'T TRUST FISH: A Seriously Silly Warning

DIAL BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS
2025

 My previous post took a funny turn. At least I featured two truly funny picture books, HERE. Both were timelessly entertaining and laughable, but were each a few years old. If messages on the "socials" of publishing can be trusted, there is an ongoing call for genuinely funny picture book submissions. This title is a terrific example of what editors will love.  

DON'T TRUST FISH is written by Neil Sharpson and illustrated by Dan Santat. Sharpson's prior success has been in the realms of screenplays and animation. But the urgency of sharing the message of this book compelled  him to write this debut picture book. In back jacket copy Sharpson insists, more than once, that HE IS NOT A CRAB!  

Santat also has an animation background, but has long illustrated picture books and graphic novels, writing several of those as well. Don't look for a place to rest your elbow in his home since I imagine that every flat surface is occupied by the countless awards his work has garnered, including the most prestigious among them. Together, this creative pair has produced an essential handbook, a sort of field guide, for human navigation of the animal world.

The stark cover carries a cautionary statement. The pictured fish, half-lidded side-eye visible to those who have been warned, might seem tongue in cheek. But opening spreads make it clear that this has "serious" intent. Each double spread reveals a class of animals with its salient features listed in no-nonsense, straightforward text, faced by a traditionally illustrated example (Mammal- cow). All text and images are on white background, presented in standard font and classic art style. Snake, check, Bird, check. Page turn...

DON't TRUST FISH!

Each turn from there on demonstrates that fish defy easy description, with devious differences. They populate the waters of the world and no one can escape! The humor is wry and so are the illustrations, especially JEFF the Fish, the most sinister of all. Until the illustrations occasionally go totally berserk. From a simple, apparently scientific opening, this veers quickly to making waves with word play, situational absurdities, and a surprising concern for the well-being of crabs. The "threats" rapidly accelerate and still, crab remains in jeopardy. Concluding surprises are not the last word, with a final twist that deserves attention but will not be revealed here.

This is an example of an apparently simple picture book aimed at young audiences. They will, in fact, adore it and appreciate the unreliable narrator aspects as well as the specific examples of visual and word humor. This picture book will also be welcomed by older readers, particularly if presented to a group. The glances to peers and spontaneous laughs that can’t be suppressed will trigger others, including through several unpredictable page turns. 

For independent writers of ANY age, this is pure mentor text for examining structures of storytelling with an unreliable narrator, including establishing early trust, generating lies-among-truths, raising the stakes if readers dare to doubt, and when/how to finally reveal the full truth. That final spread (that I will still not ruin with a spoiler description) merits full study of its meta-text and illustration details as markers of the true nature of the narrator.

I urge you to give this a look, and share it with others of any age. The laughs are entertaining and valuable, but as a model for creating humor in stories, this book is priceless.

(While you are requesting library books or shopping, give a look at DON’T TRUST CATS by the creative duo, Dev Petty and Mike Boldt. What a fun activity it would be to identify and gather several such cautionary titles to share and compare in small groups. Perhaps even use that exercise to launch a writing project with cautionary text. For integrated learning, explore this title and others  in science and social studies classes to identify blends of fact and fabrication, to consider the source of rules and laws and what their underlying biases might be.)