Swimmy

Rating:
Summary: How Swimmy helps his friends.
Review: A children's book about a small fish who is different than the other fish in its "school" and who teaches other small fish how to survive by "camouflage." Little children really enjoy watching Swimmy in the illustrations. The book was a 1964 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustration in a book for children.

Rating:
Summary: How Swimmy helps his friends.
Review: A children's book about a small fish who is different than the other fish in its "school" and who teaches other small fish how to survive by "camouflage." Little children really enjoy watching Swimmy in the illustrations. The book was a 1964 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustration in a book for children.

Rating:
Summary: A poetic masterpiece for young children
Review: A lot of children's books deal with sharing and getting along with others. A lot try to help children be themselves. The brilliance of Leo Lionni is that in book after book he brings these two ideas together, showing children that they can be themselves and care about others at the same time. Many of Lionni's best books - Frederick, Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse, Tico and the Golden Wings, and Swimmy - all deal with this theme.

Of all these, Swimmy is probably the one with the most immediate appeal to small children. The idea of little fish banding together to scare off the big bully fish is really empowering to small children. And the illustrations are delightful.

As a writer and former English teacher, I also love Lionni's simple poetic language. You have to love a writer who writes about "an eel whose tail was almost too far away to remember" and describes sea anemones as "pink palm trees swaying in the wind." Hearing such beautiful and evocative language from an early age can't help but make children better readers and writers later on.

If I could, I'd send every baby home from the hospital with one of Rosemary Wells' Max books and this book. It belongs in every library.

Rating:
Summary: I didn't like how the fish are eaten at the beginning.
Review: Ah, Swimmy. You charming little guppy. This books wins the award for Subtlest-Book-About-Diversity for 1963. It is wholly and entirely charming. Swimmy is the only little fish amongst his brothers and sisters who was born black instead of red. A faster fish than all of them, Swimmy has the mixed blessing of being able to out swim a big fish that has come to devour his family. Poor Swimmy is left all alone in the world, but his sadness doesn't last for very long. The undersea world is full of wonders, including medusas made of rainbow jelly, a forest of seaweeds growing from sugar candy rocks, and sea anemones that look like, "pink palm trees swaying in the wind". When Swimmy stumbles across another group of small red fish, his quick thinking helps them to band together to fight the larger fish in the sea.

For any kid that loved "Finding Nemo", I think this book would be an excellent companion. The lesson is twofold. One is that when people band together they can fight the unnaturally large problems facing them. Another is that being different, like Swimmy, can be a wonderful thing. I'm sure you're going to read reviews from people decrying this book as Communist propaganda (after all, it's a bunch of red fish finding strength in numbers to defeat the more powerful members of society that were previously eating them), and that's fine. It could definitely be read that way, and there's nothing wrong with that. But for those of you who feel that the book was probably meant to be read as a story for children and that's that, you're undoubtedly more correct.

Leo Lionni is a magnificent artist, by the way. No one draws jellyfish with as much light and airy oomph as he does. The sea's wonders are all alight here, with little black Swimmy eyeing each and every one. There's a beauty to these watercolors that is difficult to find anywhere else. Even today, with our high tech picture book wizardry and computer generated images, nothing looks as pleasing to the eye as Lionni's tendrils of swaying anemones. Originally published in 1963, the book has not aged. Looking at it today, it never will.

Rating:
Summary: It's like Rainbow Fish. Only good.
Review: Ah, Swimmy. You charming little guppy. This books wins the award for Subtlest-Book-About-Diversity for 1963. It is wholly and entirely charming. Swimmy is the only little fish amongst his brothers and sisters who was born black instead of red. A faster fish than all of them, Swimmy has the mixed blessing of being able to out swim a big fish that has come to devour his family. Poor Swimmy is left all alone in the world, but his sadness doesn't last for very long. The undersea world is full of wonders, including medusas made of rainbow jelly, a forest of seaweeds growing from sugar candy rocks, and sea anemones that look like, "pink palm trees swaying in the wind". When Swimmy stumbles across another group of small red fish, his quick thinking helps them to band together to fight the larger fish in the sea.

For any kid that loved "Finding Nemo", I think this book would be an excellent companion. The lesson is twofold. One is that when people band together they can fight the unnaturally large problems facing them. Another is that being different, like Swimmy, can be a wonderful thing. I'm sure you're going to read reviews from people decrying this book as Communist propaganda (after all, it's a bunch of red fish finding strength in numbers to defeat the more powerful members of society that were previously eating them), and that's fine. It could definitely be read that way, and there's nothing wrong with that. But for those of you who feel that the book was probably meant to be read as a story for children and that's that, you're undoubtedly more correct.

Leo Lionni is a magnificent artist, by the way. No one draws jellyfish with as much light and airy oomph as he does. The sea's wonders are all alight here, with little black Swimmy eyeing each and every one. There's a beauty to these watercolors that is difficult to find anywhere else. Even today, with our high tech picture book wizardry and computer generated images, nothing looks as pleasing to the eye as Lionni's tendrils of swaying anemones. Originally published in 1963, the book has not aged. Looking at it today, it never will.

Rating:
Summary: Beautifully written, beautifully illustrated!
Review: As a child, this was my favorite book. Reading it as adult to my own daughter, I marvel at the author's use of words to create the incredible imagery of the sea. I remember as a child being spellbound by his descriptions of the "eel whose tail was almost too far away to remember", and the "lobster who walked about like a water-moving machine." Even if this book had no illustrations, it would be a treasure. However, the water color illustrations are beyond beautiful. Not surprisingly, my own two year old daughter is enthralled by this book, just as I was. I recommend it for pre-school through elementary age children (and for those adults among us who never grew up!)

Rating:
Summary: Terrific for all ages
Review: Here is the perfect primer for teaching young people about the importance of organizing! Grassroots politics at its best!

Rating:
Summary: I didn't like how the fish are eaten at the beginning.
Review: I bought this book because the author is famous and it is award-winning. I don't like it at all, however, because at the beginning of the book all the little fish (except Swimmy) are eaten by a big fish. Basically they are all killed, which I thought was heavy stuff for a kid's book.
I am not against the concept of death in a kid's book, but I think it should be handled very carefully. Swimmy is similar to the movie Little Nemo--the death scene is unnecessary and disturbing.
I wish I hadn't bought this book.

Rating:
Summary: My childhood favorite that I can share with my kids!
Review: I have loved these books ever since I had them as a child. Leo Lionni may have been before his time, and these artistic books have a tangible quality to them. They aren't cartoons like many books today, but pieces of art. I am so happy to be able to buy (replace & upgrade) my childhood collection so I can share it with my children.

Rating:
Summary: My Swimmy review.
Review: I liked the book it was pretty interesting for a little kids book. I also liked the pictures in the book they looked liked little kids paintings, they were really good! I think alot of little kids should read this book!

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