Don't Trust Fish
Illustrator: Dan Santat
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: 2025
ISBN-13: 978-0593616673
Reading Level: Ages 4–8
Main Character: The story is about a narrator who becomes suspicious of fish, creating a funny but unreliable point of view.
Plot: What begins as an introduction to different animal groups quickly takes a strange turn when the narrator insists that fish cannot be trusted. Absurd evidence is presented; readers are invited to laugh while figuring out factual information and exaggerated opinions. The story ends with a clever twist that ties the narrator's unusual perspective together.
Settings: A simple, colorful world of animals, with the illustrations moving through a variety of environments.
Genre / Theme / Style: Humorous Picture Book, Animal Facts, Fiction, Critical Thinking.
4 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁
Why 4 Roars? Don't Trust Fish is a clever picture book that gives real animal facts with humor. Dan Santat's illustrations match the narrator's increasingly outrageous claims. The story encourages readers to question information, think critically, and enjoy the fun of an unreliable narrator. This review was written without taking sides in the ongoing fish debate! 🐠
Psst... don't trust crabs, either! 🦀
Critical Analysis: This is a creative storytelling book that is (sometimes) educational and (sometimes) entertaining. Kids will enjoy the silly accusations against fish, while adults will appreciate the book's subtle encouragement to evaluate information carefully rather than accepting every claim at face value.
Connections: Readers who enjoy Don't Trust Fish may also enjoy The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak, This Book Just Ate My Dog! by Richard Byrne, or The Truth About Dragons by Julie Leung. These books combine humor, imagination, and interactive storytelling to keep young readers engaged.
