A lovely story about a little girl and a fish that's not a fish and their adventure.

Colorfully illustrated [with interesting details one should keep their eye open for], this is a charming, feel good story that children will love.

Well done.

Thank you to NetGalley, Katherine Arden, Zahra Marwan - Illustrator, and Astra Publishing House/Astra Young Readers for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was lovely! The illustrations are soft and the text straightforward. This could make a lovely read aloud with opportunities for prediction-making, if used in small groups. I would be cautious about using this in larger storytime groups because the illustrations are hard to read from a distance. October (the fish) is a lovely character and the family was surprisingly supportive!

A good book for discussing the importance of proper pet enclosures, but not for discouraging the introduction of non-native species to the wild. XD

Daisy wins a strange fish at the fair, and he won’t stop growing. Is he even a fish at all?

I really like the art style here. The “fish” reminds me of the work of Liuweishui. Just goofy as heck. It’s final form is big punchline, and delightful.

This is just a nice little story. A library pick, if not necessarily a home purchase. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a bunch of kids who get enamored of the final fish form and ask for a copy of their own. Or at least a fish of their own! Just make sure to get the proper size tank the first time.

Advanced reader copy provided by the publisher.

This was a sweet story of a girl who wins an odd fish at a carnival. Despite comments from her family, she takes care of him and names him October. He grows quickly from her care and love and she does her best to help him. His final reveal is a wondrous one and the 2 are happy friends. The art in this book is gorgeous, and I would definitely pick this up for my daughter once it publishes.

I adore this story. Arden can create magic for readers of any age. My daughter, who is 6, loved this story as well. She agreed with Daisy’s love of autumn and the fair. She loved the magical fish, October, as well. It teaches sweet lessons about kindness and loving someone for all that they are. The illustrations are gorgeous. I can’t wait to purchase a copy of this beautiful little story to add to our home library.

Yay!
Love you book.
Daisy is a fresh protagonist with amazing determination, agency and originality. She loves October, and she loves October (you’ll know what I’m getting at when you read the book).
Daisy is caring, considerate and has immense love to share.
The art is fresh, the story is fresh - just a little abruptly ending, I would have appreciated if there were more buildup.
4.5 stars.

I loved this sweet story about a little girl named Daisy who lives on the shores of a lake. When she visits the fair with her family and wins a strange fish in a small plastic bag, she is at first disappointed with her prize, but chooses to love and care for the fish anyway. Her choice results in a magical transformation that showcases the power of love and devotion.

The illustrations in this book are beautifully rendered. They have a realistic feel with a touch of whimsy that perfectly accompanies Katherine Arden's lyrical text. I enjoy Arden's novels and was thrilled to see her entry into the world of picture books. This is a book I would share with my own children and a book I would recommend to my pre-service teachers who are studying Children's Literature.

The best Children's Literature offers readers fantastical magic born of everyday experiences and teaches meaningful lessons without tipping the line into the didactic. Arden's beautiful book is everything a picture book should be. It provides enchantment for children and adults and will help readers look at ordinary life through a lens of magic. I loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.

This is a lovely picture book, which takes something as ordinary as winning a fish at the county fair, and turning it into something more. Written by a writer famous for her fantasy, could we expect anything less.

Daisy wins a fish who is odd looking, rather like a fighting fish, but loves it just the same. The weird thing is it keeps growing, and she can’t find a container large enough for it. Finally she has to put it in the lake by her house. And that is when she discovers that it is really a water dragon.

I love how the story gradually grows that there is something odd about this fish. And that an ordinary day goes on to be a wonderful adventure.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out the 3rd of September 2024.

Such a sweet and charming story, full of whimsy and magic. I read it to my 3 year old and he thoroughly enjoyed it.

What a sweet book! I loved the illustrations in it, they were so wonderfully done. And the story is just so lovely. It teaches acceptance of others that are different than you, and how that can turn out to be something very positive in the end.

Is there anything Katherine Arden could write that I wouldn’t love? Probably not.

Thank you to NetGalley and Astra Publishing House for sending an advanced copy for me to read and provide an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If Katherine Arden is writing it, I am reading it, no matter what genre or intended age group. Get this for a quirky kid, but a quirky adult is going to love it just as much. Stupendous.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

#TheStrangestFish #NetGalley #KatherineArden

So the art and the story are both whinsical and sweet. But I feel like the ending is very abrupt. I actually went and checked the page count on Amazon because the story didn't feel finished.

Still recommended.

I read this book in an evening. So so so good. Entertaining. Amazing. Relaxing. Loved the plot of the story. Loved the cutie pie characters as well... omg so cute!!!!

We smiled from ear to ear from the moment we opened this charming book to the moment we closed it. What a true delight! The illustrations captivate and draw you into the season of October in a yellow and blue house next to the lake. We journey along with Daisy as she savors food and games at the Fall Festival where she wins a funny-looking fish. While others in her family find the fish unsightly and "weird," Daisy's compassion, care and love may just turn this aquatic friend into something new. This story is full of whimsy and we fully celebrate it.

Daisy wins a real fish at the fair. October is the best fish. October keeps growing fast. From outgrowing a fish bowl to a bucket to the bathtub…

Short, but cute. Weird is ok. Love counts. Nice, dreamy watercolor artwork with adorable details.

I read and liked the first two Small Spaces stories by Katherine Arden, so this picture book with a fish was an insta-grab.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to give a positive review.

Wonderfully magical and whimsical! Such a beautiful book, and I know kids will love it.

Daisy’s favorite time of year is October. It is for many reasons, but especially the fair.

Daisy wins a usual fish at the fair and takes it home. It keeps growing and she has to find larger and larger bowls until it even outgrows the bathtub! Finally she sets it free in the lake and discovers it’s a water dragon!

She loved the fish even though it was different and “weird” and the fish blossomed into a lovely creature after all!

Lyrical, kid-centric, and hinting at magic, this book delivers and will hook young readers from beginning to end and back again. Masterfully done and beautifully illustrated.

Once again Katherine Arden did not disappoint. The story is unique, a page turner and magical. The story is about Daisy. She wins a strange looking fish at the fair. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is perfect for children and adults.

Thank you NetGalley, Astra Publishing House and Astra Young Readers for sending me an ARC in exchange of an honest review of the e-book received.

The Strangest Fish is the story of Daisy and her very strange fish October.

I love the illustration style of this book! I love the image of Daisy in the teacup ride with her mom and the picture of Daisy and October in the lake.

The story is very magical and dream-like. I loved the ending and the reveal about October. I only thing I didn’t absolutely love was the idea of putting your pet fish in a lake. Overall this is an amazing, fun story!

This is such a beautiful book. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous with a wonderful story accompanying them. My four year old adored it. It is one I will be adding to our bookshelf as soon as it comes out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Astra Publishing House for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.