Book Title: The Wish Fish (Hook Book)
Author: Lesley D. Biswas
Illustrator: Aratrika Choudhury
Publisher: Duckbill Books (an imprint of Penguin Random House India)
Type: Paperback
Pages: 40 pages
Age Group: 5-7 years
We were introduced to Hook books around 5 years back and every time I hold a book from the series, I find more reasons to appreciate them. My younger one enjoys the larger font and easy vocabulary, while my 12‑year‑old loves drawing inspiration from the illustrations. I like these for the emotional cords they strike in our soul. We love to gift “Get Hooked: The Hook Books Box Set” to first graders. Kids tend to enjoy the Hawaldar Hook prompts on English grammar that wrap up each book.
The Wish Fish is story about a fisherman girl’s innocence and longing. The author and illustrator did fantabulous job in presenting the coastal landscape and people of Sundarbans in this book. I am sharing my 8 year old reluctant reader’s review here, because the story touched her in its own gentle way:
“When parents come back home, all kids get super happy because we love discussing everything that happened. Namita also gets very excited when her Baba comes back from fishing. One day, he brought her a live fish that nobody in the whole Sundarbans had ever seen before!
We learn about endangered animals in school, but I don’t know how Namita just felt that this fish needed to be saved. She said a big NO! when her mother wanted to cook it into jhol. That’s how the fish stayed safe.
I really like h0le books because they feel so natural, like real people talking. Namita goes around the village asking everyone what kind of fish it is. Then she finds out it is a Wish Fish! She has so many dreams, but she has to pick only one. I really loved all the illustrations of the different wishes she imagines.
I started thinking… if I had a Wish Fish, could I wish for 10 more wishes with my one wish? And I also wondered… what would the Wish Fish wish for? Maybe something that makes it more powerful.
I have a pet Betta fish at home. She always looks at me like she wants more food. After reading this book, we wondered if she feels lonely. But we learned that betta fish like being alone, so that made me feel better. We even made her a hiding place so she feels safe. My parents say that when you choose kindness, it comes back to you in ways you don’t even expect. I think when we show compassion, even to a tiny fish, the universe makes a note of it.”
“Children are not only innocent and curious but also optimistic and joyful and essentially happy. They are, in short, everything adults ‘wish‘ they could be.” – Carolyn Haywood
There are other Hook Books published by Duckbill which are just as engaging as this book is. –You can read reviews of other hook books on our website. We have reviewed Biji’s in the Kitchen! , PUPPY TROUBLE, KITTEN TROUBLE, The Race for Rugda. Other fun reads include Shoo! Crow here. Not to miss, I Want A Pet!, Cyrus the Whyrus, Passepartout, Is That You?….
Get Hooked: The Hook Book Box Set – a set of 11 Hook Books (440 pages) is also available which works out to be more economical!
Did Wish Fish really grant her a wish? Or there’s more… To discover what the little girl truly longs for, order your copy from Amazon (kbc affiliate link)
CLICK & BUY NOW!Disclaimer: Mona and her daughters are part of the #kbcReviewerSquad and received this book as a review copy from the publisher via kbc.
