A very cute little picture book about a little fish who thinks his house is too crowded. He has to clean the pebbles in it every day. Well, that is a lot of trouble! He decides to find another house. They don't work out too great either. Some are too noisy, some are too scary! Whatever will he do?

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy to read for review. I enjoyed the book and think many children will too!

Sometimes you don't realize what you have until you don't have it. When Gil thinks his house is just too small, he decides to go find a new one. While he is out looking for a new one, he learns to appreciate the things you have.

This is very cute. My rating 4.25.

Gil the Goldfish decides one day that his fishbowl, with the same pebbles to count each day, is too crowded for him. He sets out to find a better place to live. But each place he finds has a different problem. Eventually, he comes upon a turtle who points out that Gil needs to get back to his bowl. Once rescued Gil experiences a change of heart and finds room for a friend.

This is a very cute and easy read. I enjoyed the adventures and experiences that were shared for Gil even though it may have been unrealistic to see a fish travel outside his bowl. The story shares a good message - that the grass isn’t always greener - and also notes that life can be better sharing with a friend. The images are clean, colorful, and precise without being busy or overwhelming. I would be glad to share this with my grandchildren.

Source: NetGalley 2020.

I'm on the fence about this one - I like the illustrations and the simplicity of the text but the ending was a little flat and it was a bit odd that it took fish so long to realize that it couldn't live out of water.

This book is a cute and friendly book for young readers. This is definitely a book that I will purchase and put in the library for the students. It is about a little fish named Gil that thinks his house is too crowded with pebbles but after visiting several other homes he is finally brought back to his home and realizes that is where he belongs. A very cute story with beautiful illustrations and pictures.

This book made me laugh!

I loved the illustrations, which were simple, bright, and had plenty of negative space. At first I didn't understand how the story was going to work (a fish walking around outside his fishbowl?), but this was resolved in a humorous way. This is the kind of picture book that will appeal to several age groups--younger children will appreciate the pictures and story, while older kids will understand the sly humor. I could definitely see this book working for a library program about pets!

I couldn't help but glance at my own goldfish as I read this book. I wonder if he feels the same way? This would be a great gift for a child getting his first fish. It definitely humanizes the main character and the greater message of the grass might not be greener on the other side can't be missed.

How cute was this book! It’s a way to go over emotions of being confined with your kiddos & how sometimes home can feel about crowded, a bit loud, maybe to quiet or too lonely but that there’s no place like home. The illustrations are fun, fresh & the story had some really silly moments. A great children’s book for sure!

I thought Too Crowded was adorable! I really hope they make it into a board book. It is a simple text with different animals found in homes. The story is simple, and toddler readers will find humor in the fish trying to live in other places.

Ugh! I understand the message, but disagree 100 percent! Not a message I'd pass on to my children. Be content with nothing???? Be happy where you are? Make do with what you have and be satisfied? Nope. Not for me. I felt sorry for the goldfish AND the turtle. Sorry.

"Too Crowded" by Lena Podesta is a cute new tale about a little fish searching for the perfect space to call home. The young fish sets off on an adventure and tries out several different homes before choosing the perfect spot to settle down.

This book is features a great set of characters and beautiful accompanying illustrations that will engage young readers! The author does a great job of setting the scene and introduces the main character to different animal habitats while keeping the plotline fun, fresh and inviting! This book was a winner in our family!

Blogger's Note: Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was very cute for young readers and teaches about how home is where your heart is and that things aren’t always greener on the other side. A bit reminiscent of Devin Scillian’s Memoirs of a Goldfish, this title was sweet and entertaining with a good set of animal characters . There is an exploration of the types of homes different animals have as well as the importance of friendship. The illustrations are beautiful and succinct, sentences are short and to the point for young readers. A great read aloud or emergent reader option.

Too Crowded by Lena Podesta tells the story of a little goldfish who thinks his fish bowl is too crowded. The fish seems bored and lonely, so it decided to find a new home. The goldfish puts on shoes and grabs a suitcase and leaves his fish bowl. The fish tries to live in a bird's nest, but it is too loud. The fish also tries to live in a cat's house, but it is too dangerous. The fish then encounters a turtle who says fish need water to breathe. A girl finds the fish and puts the fish and the turtle into the tiny cramped fish bowl where the two of them are very happy.
This story is beautifully illustrated and has a nice message about being happy with what one haves; however, this story just doesn't work for me. For starters, the fish bowl is truly small for a fish to live in and I felt bad for the fish being forced to live in such a small space. Second of all, the fish shouldn't need a turtle to say that fish need water to survive. Third, the girl puts the turtle in the tiny cramped fish bowl that was already too small for the fish. The sends the wrong message to children. Turtles who are found in nature should never be picked up and put in a tank. This is very unhealthy for wild turtles to be handled by humans and removed from their homes in nature. Children need to leave wild animals in the wild and not handle them or try to re-home them. Turtles especially need to be able to live on land and in water. Moreover, turtles need room to move around and food that they can easily find in nature. I always tell my children and students to leave turtles alone and let them enjoy their life in nature. I would never be able to read this book to students because it teaches children that it is okay to take animals out of their natural habitat and placing them into an inhabitable environment.

A fun book about a goldfish’s journey of trying to find a home that fits for him because he just doesn’t like his current one. A fun adventure and a great picture book for kids! The artwork is great.

*Thanks Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Kids for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This is the cutest book!! Fishy thinks that his bowl is too crowded!! Once he goes to different animals around his house, he discovers that his fish bowl is the best place.
I woukd recommend this book to a library or classroom. Its shows how you are where you should be even when you don't feel.like it all of the time. The pictures were so nice and it made the made story even more real.

A funny little tale of a fish trying to find himself a new home because his is too crowded. He figures out thought that his bowl is just the place he needs to be and love.

This is an adorable book with vibrant illustrations. I love how fish has a suitcase and shoes! But...wouldn't the bowl be EXTRA crowded in the end? Not sure how that is supposed to work out. I did laugh at fish and turtle, though, so 4 stars from me.

I enjoyed reading this little cute picture book.
Firstly, the illustration are cute and bright. Secondly, the story is enjoyable for little ones.
From the boring old little fish bowl to outside dangerous world, home is always a safe place to come back.