Splotch

March 1, 2017
How identifiable is an individual goldfish, anyway?Jeffrey's goldfish, Splotch, is fine when the dark-haired, pale-skinned boy bids it goodbye as he leaves for school, but by noon, it's floating upside-down and has X's for eyes. Dialogue and time notations offer readers a sparse, clever aid to decoding this mostly-visually-told plot. At noon, Mom (who shares Jeffrey's coloring) exits the bathroom holding a dripping net while a curious black cat looks on. Heartbreak-avoidance techniques involve Frank's Fish World (clued by telltale bags), benevolent deception, and the grand question of how important the exact shape of a fish's white splotch is. At midnight, Jeffrey sits bolt upright, realizing that a certain new fish isn't his old fish; the epiphany shows up on the page as Jeffrey's eyes open wide in horror, his mental images of two fish (old and new) separated by a "not-equal" sign and three huge red exclamation marks. Can fish run away? Has old Splotch been changed by aliens? When exactly does Jeffrey realize what's going on, and when does he decide to reverse emotional roles with his mother? Marino uses fine pencil lines, half-cartoony faces that blend wryness and sincerity, water-textured gouache on watercolor paper, and easygoing visual patterns to make illustrations that highlight the plot but are visually friendly. Despite the dead fish, this isn't about grief; it's about anxious, humane, funny attempts to protect loved ones from sadness. (Picture book. 5-8)

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April 1, 2017
K-Gr 2-When a young boy's pet goldfish dies, his mother secretly replaces it with a new one. The boy comes home to discover something amiss with his new fish. In an effort to comfort him, his mother secretly replaces the fish again. The boy is still not convinced that the new fish is his beloved Splotch. The mother and son travel to the pet store together and find the -missing- fish, but the boy reveals to readers that he thinks he's duped his mom, indicating that he probably knew the truth all along. The work is amusing, making light of a possibly upsetting scenario while simultaneously giving credit to the wit and cunning of children. This tale avoids the topic of loss and instead plays with the idea of pets, however small, having distinct personalities. The gouache and pencil illustrations are spot-on, giving all of the fish facial expressions and reinforcing the idea of individuality. The cat is a lovable, silent character, glancing knowingly throughout. The thoughts of the mom and boy are italicized, while dialogue is not, a small distinction that may be difficult for younger readers to grasp. VERDICT While the words are few and the illustrations bold, suitable for younger readers, the content and the story might work better with a slightly older audience, especially in terms of humor. A fun choice that would make a good addition to most collections.-Kaitlin Malixi, Bucks County Free Library, Doylestown, PA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2017
Grades K-2 As he heads off to school, a young boy bids farewell to a lively Splotch, his orange-and-white pet fish. By noon, Splotch is floating belly-up on top of his water, and the child's mother quietly disposes of him, under the watchful eyes of the family cat. When he returns home to an empty bowl, the boy decides Splotch has run away: signs are posted, and a search begins. When Splotch seems to reappear the next day (Mom tucks a Frank's Fish World bag behind her back), all is well, until the boy realizes Splotch's spots have changedhe must be an alien impostor! With almost no background, the illustrations focus on the child's emotions, the mother's deviousness, and the cat's observations as a series of robust, colorful fish come through the bowl. At last, all is resolved at the fish storeunless the tables have been turned, that is. One more surprise is on the final end pages. Pair with Goldfish Ghost (2017), by Lemony Snicket, for another original fish story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2017
A boy returns from school to find his pet fish missing from its bowl. To avoid telling him that it died, Mom sneaks a look-alike into the bowl. The boy isn't falling for it: "MOM! Splotch has been CHANGED BY ALIENS!!" The game of who's-outsmarting-whom plays out with minimal text; the well-observed gouache and pencil illustrations carry the unpredictable tale.

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)