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.)

Don't Give Up Now! I Think We CAN!

Anchoring this post in time: 

We are five weeks into the Safer-at-Home, social-distancing, flatten the curve of Covid19 process. The efforts have been paying off in several ways: gradually reducing the rate of new cases, lowering the count of daily deaths, and finding our way through at home/distance approaches to teaching, learning, working, connecting, and otherwise adjusting. 

We are also in the midst of politicizing the pandemic in unimaginable ways, including defiant gatherings and protests with questionable purposes.

People need to make their own choices, as long as those choice don't harm others. When personal choices put others at risk, we are all entitled- no, obligated- to speak out. We dare not allow boredom or frustration or ignorance or worry or blind hope to put others in danger, to squander the progress that has been made. 

Platt & Munk, 1940

I grew up in a family that adored books, stories, newspapers, comic books, and reading of all kinds. It was at a time when there were far fewer picture books, but those we had were treasured friends. Among those golden treasures (and many actually were GOLDEN BOOKS), the one book that was in our home and that of every kid I knew was Watty Piper's THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD. 
It was the source of a refrain that we all knew and understood, the tag line we could reference with universal recognition:

I THINK I CAN, I THINK I CAN, I THINK I CAN!

If this book is new to you, we'll need a deep conversation to figure out how that is possible! 

The picture books I grew up with were few, but they were timeless, and this one is an all-time classic. The 1940 original eventually continued life in GOLDEN BOOK versions, board book versions, Disney portrayals, anthologized stories, Sunday sermons, commencement speeches, and international translations.

Platt & Munk, 2020

What a dilemma when it came time to wish that big-hearted and determined Little Engine a Nintieth Birthday! How could anyone possibly do justice tot this amazing  book?

THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD, 90th Birthday Edition, by Watty Piper and illustrated by Dan Santat manages to do just that.

This little engine remained a classic for many reasons. Some are related to excellence in storytelling craft (problem/solution, cycles of repetition, prediction and surprises). Watty Piper's original full text is honored in this edition and continues to shine.  Many happy memories are related to the delightful original artwork. Most importantly, the enduring affection of readers across ninety years of generational sharing relates deeply to the heart of the story- a message that we each can shape our own future by believing in ourselves, and that the world DEPENDS on us to do our very best, always and in all ways.

Illustrator Dan Santat was tagged to reimagine this timeless classic, a daunting task. That could not have been an easy contract to accept, knowing that millions of readers hold the original images close to their hearts. With his vibrant, muscular, expressive art, he met that challenge beautifully. Remarkably, Santat succeeded in capturing the truth and colorful energy of the original while offering a fresh approach with as much appeal while retaining an embrace of nostalgia. 
Compare the two covers to admire the ways in which color tones and characterizations were preserved while amping up the dimensions, the perspectives, scale, and expressiveness of the toys, engines and landscapes. Here are just a few snaps of interior spreads.

I hope you will consider ordering one or more copies of this outstanding reissue from an independent bookstore, if you can afford to do so. Give them as gifts. Please take the message to heart. We need all the reminders we can get that the hardest tasks are still within our capacity to achieve. 
Everyone involved in this global health crisis is forced to admit the limits of their understanding of the eventual outcome. What we do know is that our uphill struggles to deal with  our altered lives will be challenging, even painful. But it will not be permanent. Let's not stop believing that we can, we can, we can get through this. 

At some point in the future we will all crest that hill and make our way to a better future. That time that will arrive sooner and more successfully if we pull together (apart) and keep chugging along, 

That's when we can proudly agree "I thought I could, I thought I could, I thought I could."

What Makes a Favorite a Favorite?

Quite a few years ago a colleague commented that I was the most divergent thinker he had ever met. Put that together with another critique that I'm an unabashed optimist and idealist and it explains why I took both remarks as compliments. 
I'm also rational enough to know that both may have been backhanded remarks suggesting that I'm an unrealistic scatterbrain. I'll just say that the facial expressions and body language in both circumstances as well as the  the context in which they were stated helped me arrive at my upbeat conclusion. 
The combination of personal experience with verbal and visual cues to arrive at the fullest possible meaning is the essence of my admiration for picture books, and that approach carries over into my everyday life. Making meaning is built on background knowledge and should engage all possible clues and cues. No other literary format does that as well as the category we call picture books, especially if we stretch that a tad to include graphic novels and other visual narrative formats.

That's why I never seriously considered participating in this year's Fourth Annual Picture Book 10 for 10 blog lists. I've followed them each year, bookmarked many, used other bloggers' lists to explore titles new to me, and I'm doing so again this year. 
My issue has to do with that divergent thinking/optimistic idealist gene of mine. It interferes every time I try to make lists of favorite anythings. My personal list of favorite titles is enormous, each one having  qualifiers to it suggesting the age, interests, intent, experience, current circumstances, and other factors affecting their potential audience and use.
My tags on Goodreads titles sometimes (often) run longer than the review itself as I try to attach categories to each title that allow me to cross-reference a particular book for any future use.    
Despite my resistance to making lists, I  appreciate the willingness of others to commit to ten favorites, including Nerdy Book Club's Top Ten Picture Books for Secondary Classrooms, Cathy's Reflect and Refine post, (which offers multiple useful links to more extensive lists), A Year of Reading,  Cathy Mallou Bealey's Bildebok, and even the Twitter hashtag #P10for10. Just skimming the titles featured in these posts leaves me nodding in agreement, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over books I couldn't bear to leave off of a list of my own. This happened with well more than ten titles, and the lists above don't even scratch the surface.

Disney/Hyperion Books, 2010

So I'll share just two titles here, each of which could land on a list if not limited in number. The first is OH, NO! (Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World, written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Dan Santat. The opening end papers signal a highly meticulous plan for a fifth grade science project: a robot with canine mind control, zero emission power core, and titanium alloy superclaws.  The first page turn provides an English/Japanese glossary scroll and double page spread warning signals, followed by the title page with even more clues to the impending disaster. Each further page turn reveals yet another wide-screen, double-page spread that reads from left to right with  expressive and comical details that advance the plot. I warn you, DO NOT fail to peruse each square inch.
The over-the-top conclusion (and it is over-the-top, literally and figuratively) belies the seriously meticulous final end papers. This is obviously a brilliant and creative young  girl, not unlike the brilliant and creative pairing of Barnett and Santat.

Harcourt Children's Books, 2013

Compare that to recent release LIVES OF THE SCIENTISTS: Experiments, Explosions (and What the Neighbors Thought), by Kathleen Krull and Kathryn Hewitt. This latest edition to their "Lives of the..." series offers anecdotal snippets about twenty scientists across the centuries whose accomplishments changed the world. Although Krull has received countless awards for her biographies for young readers, her emphasis in these vignettes is less on full life stories and more on their personalities, quirks, explorations, habits. These were often patterns that raised some eyebrows, although not to the degree of disturbance in the previous title.
This collection is undeniably non-fiction, with a bibliography, "extra credit" challengers, and well-researched insider stories on iconic names of science.Both, though, are entertaining, visually extend the content, and stimulate an interest in science.

These two titles perfectly demonstrate my reluctance to list favorites. Each serves its intended audience perfectly, reaches far beyond that to entice other readers, and pairs brilliantly talented authors with the ideal illustrators. Each intrigues and invites deep inspection of the images, rereading of the text, and fosters discussion. Why wouldn't they be favorites?
There was a time when I believed I could at least recognize books that would not "make the cut" for a personal list of favorites of any length. Then I realized that many of those "lesser" choices were inevitably being found, favorited, and treasured by some other readers for whom they were a perfect match. 
There are certainly some objective traits that mark quality picture books, but I've given up on being the arbiter of which are "best". On Goodreads I'm reluctant to note star ratings, and I decline to list, review, or rate anything I might give less than three stars. I'm only one reader. My opinions should "do no harm", since on another given day or in another frame of mind I might feel differently about the book. 
So thank you to all those who bravely share their lists. Anyone who wants to add favorite titles in the comments will be more than welcome. SOME of my many favorites are featured in these blog posts. If you're new here, I hope you'll take a look.

Disney- Hyperion Books, 2012

Here's an update: The books I review are purchased or acquired through the library. One measure of the popularity of the OH, NO! (above) was the wait I experienced on the library hold list for it and for its sequel title. I finally received their follow up book, OH, NO! NOT AGAIN! (or how I built a time machine to save history or at least my history grade). Don't miss it when you are "shopping" for the titles above, whether at a bookstore, online, or at your local library. they're worth the wait.
In this iteration our heroine builds a time machine to travel back and make her single error on a test "correct" by changing history. As you guessed, mayhem ensues. I'm a real fan of this proactive, full-speed-ahead character, and kids are, too!

Tammi Sauer's Picture Book Success

In my last post I mentioned some popular picture book trends and some timeless topics. In addition, franchise potential and multimedia characters are likely to generate success in this highly competitive publishing field. Examples spring to mind, many of which are high quality,  although some tilt more toward pop culture than toward timeless treasures.

It's particularly noteworthy, then, when a picture book author can achieve the degree of success demonstrated by TAMMI SAUERin recent years. (Check out her lively website here.) Notice the variety of publishers and illustrators listed with each cover photo. Tammi's success has not been assured by a predictable illustrator pairing, a single dedicated editor, an ongoing character, or even a specialty topic. The books featured in this post range from a grumpy duck, to a cowboy and a princess each at training camp, a stone-age boy, some wacky chipmunks, unlikely friends (shark and fish), and two titles with rockin'n'rolling chickens. How's that for variety?

Let's take a quick look at a partial list of her titles, in chronological order:

Sterling Publishing, 2005

(2005) COWBOY CAMP is illustrated by Mike Reed.


Kids love stories in which a character's bumbling difficulties somehow save the day. This little cowboy wannabe surprises the villainous interloper enough to make him give up and pursue his nefarious ways elsewhere.

Sterling Publishing, 2009

(2009)  CHICKEN DANCE, illustrated by Dan Santat.

Talent shows and dance competitions are the current rage on reality television programing, but contests of this type have been around for centuries. But, in the barn? Featuring Elvis Poultry and the dancing chickens? Why not?

Simon & Schuster/
Paula Wiseman Books, 2011

(2011)  MR. DUCK MEANS BUSINESS, illustrated by Jeff Mack.

Sometimes, as in the lyrics to the song, "You don't know what you've got till it's gone." Duck's isolated way of life felt perfect, until unexpected visitors intruded. Only after restoring his "peace" did he decide it would be better still with a bit of a compromise.

(2012) BAWK & ROLL, illustrated b y Dan Santat.

This sequel to Chicken Dance is fun in much the same way- a wacky premise with a pair of "chicken" chickens who suffer stage fright without the support of their friends. Fun and frantic.

Simon&Schuster/
Paula Wiseman Books, 2012

(2012) ME WANT PET!  illustrated by Bob Shea.

This cave boy twist on the familiar boy-wants-pet story involves a wooly mammoth, saber-toothed tiger, and do-do chick. Despite the unusual circumstances and language, kids recognize the familiar parental objections to his requests and root for him all the way to the end.

Harcourt Children's Books, 2012

(2012) PRINCESS IN TRAINING, illustrated by Joe Berger. 

What do you do with a princess who doesn't act like a princess? Send her to Princess Camp, natch, then count yourself extremely lucky when her natural tendencies shine through to save the day.

Bloomsbury USA Children's, 2012

(2012) OH, NUTS!  illustrated by Dan Krall.


A fun story, with plenty of exaggeration in characterization. Cartoonish antics lead to the eventual conclusion that the spotlight may not be all that it is cracked up to be.

Harcourt Children's Books, 2013

(2013) NUGGET AND FANG, illustrated by Michael Slack.


This hits the sweet spot for its target age when spontaneous and utterly sincere friendships can be threatened by peer input as young children move into social settings and learn about stereotyping and expectations.
The humor and loyalty of Fang will appeal. I love the subtle humor of naming shark's bite-sized minnow friend  "Nugget".

So what do these diverse titles have in common? How do we account for Tammi's remarkable success with picture books, minus any gimmicks or shortcuts?  

• Her language is well-paced and lively, even without  rhymed or repetitive text. 
• Each of her stories involves animals. 
• Humor (in words, image, and concept) have appeal for the young reader/listener and the adult who shares the book.
• Each features exaggerations and unexpected twists.
• Most of all, she displays a genuine understanding of her target audience. 

This is a winning combination, to be sure, and accounts for her success across several publishing houses and illustration pairings. 

For those unfamiliar with the business side of things, the string of recent publication dates does not suggest that she wrote them all in a year or two. It's highly likely that these titles represent a decade or more of dedicated effort, including revision and rejection, ending in the refinement necessary to produce winning stories.

For anyone looking to choose powerful picture books, or to write them, Tammi Sauer's work is worth a very close look.

Tammi just tweeted that four of her upcoming picture book releases DO NOT have animals! Can't wait to see them, can you?