This book was so cute! The illustrations were beautiful and the story was fun. I felt like the illustrations really fit the story and made it stand out.
I loved reading yet another different age category/type of story from Katherine Arden!

October is also my favorite month, for many of the same reasons. At first I thought it would end up being a weird goldfish in the story, but what it ended up being was so much better! I LOVED this story.

Cute little story about a strange little fish won at a festival. Once the fish is in its new home, it starts outgrowing its fishbowl daily. She moves him to a lake, and he ends up being something totally different. Cute book with lots of color in all the pictures. My daughter thought the ending was really cool and she loved it.

Is that a fish ? Or something bigger ?!

After a little ound a fish, she tried to bring it home to live in a bowl. But each day, it goes bigger and bigger ! She has to change its bowl each morning ! Why is it growing that fast ?

Maybe that fish isn't a real fish after all....

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Astra Publishing House for the ARC of this beautiful story.

Beautifully illustrated artwork by Zahra Marwan with lyrical prose from Katherine Arden tells the story of uniqueness, and finding the right place for you to thrive in. To being yourself. To live outside the "bowl" if you will.

So cute!! Love love love.

Daisy wins a fish at the fair in the cool autumn of October. It’s an amazingly interesting looking fish. The fish not only survives the first night in a fish bowl, it grows!
Katherine Arden’s first picture is fun and magical and the pictures by Zahra Marwan add an intriguing and mystical atmosphere.
Thank you to NetGalley and Astra Publishing House for this DRC.
#TheStrangestFish #NetGalley

What a special read! First and foremost the illustrations are beautiful. They aren't bright and vibrant and flashy; they are subtle and detailed and stunning. They feel honest and pair so well with the story.

I love that the book teaches thoughtfulness and loyalty ("Friends didn't hurt friends' feeling."), and also speaks to the saying "Don't yuck someone else's yum." Everyone in Daisy's family calls October weird, but she says he's the best - she sees how unique he is and she loves him for his leafy fins and his giant blue eyes. Don't we all hope that someone loves us this way? So unconditionally?

The image of Daisy hanging over the lake, calling out to her fish was breathtaking. And turning the page to see an absolutely giant October was perfection. Daisy worried all night long and to be reunited lakeside was so touching.

The book ended more abruptly than I suspected. I was kind of hoping for justice for October, like Daisy's family at the water's edge admitting how special October is; or acknowledging what a good friend Daisy was to October, how well she cared for him and paid attention to his needs. Simply hopping on the now water dragon's back wasn't the ending I wanted, but the book (both the story and the pictures) was beautiful overall!

The Strangest Fish is a whimsical and heartwarming story about a young girl and her unique pet fish.

The premise of the story reminded me a lot of the saying ‘if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree…’. We loved Daisy’s fiercely protective instinct for October the fish, even when she was a little unsure. She was caring and optimistic, and the ending caught us by delightful surprise!

The illustrations were unique and dramatic, and really brought the story to life. I was drawn to the book by the illustrations, and having really enjoyed Katherine Arden’s works for adults it was great to see her writing is just as imaginative and engaging for children!

Thank you Astra Publishing House and NetGalley for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

This was a beautiful book with a wonderful message for children, that everyone has a place where they can thrive, it just might take time to get there. You can get lost in the illustrations and they add so many more details to the story.
This book is a very positive enjoyable children's story.

I'm a fan of the author's adult fantasy novels, so was delighted to read her first picture book. Daisy and her family go to the Fall fair and she wins a fish - a strange looking fish - a fish who is more than we might originally think!

This is a beautiful book! The bright and colourful watercolour style of the visuals gives this a whimsical look, and the lyrical writing has high read-aloud potential. While the story is charming, it's the vibrant visuals that really shine and impart a magical, fairy tale feeling. This would be a great addition to any library, school, or children's bookshelf.

Thank you to Netgalley and Astra Publishing House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.