Big Al and Shrimpy [Paperback]

Andrew Clements (Author), Yoshi Kogo (Illustrator)

Book Description

Poor Shrimpy! He may be the smartest fish in the sea, but he's also the smallest. Who would want to be friends with such a teeny, tiny fish? Big Al, that's who! Big Al remembers what it feels like to to be an outsider, and he and Shrimpy become best friends. And when Big Al finds himself in danger, it's Shrimpy's smart thinking that saves the day -- and wins Shrimpy the respect and affection of other fish.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The sequel to Big Al, Big Al and Shrimpy by Andrew Clements, illus. by Yoshi, explores the friendship between the mismatched fish; an unlikely turn of events signals certain change in the smaller fish's popularity. The full-bleed spreads of the ocean depths are every bit as appealing as in the previous book.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-Shrimpy becomes friendly with Big Al after playing tag, and the larger fish helps him do things he could never do on his own. One day, Big Al's fin gets stuck in a crack in a rock, and it's clever Shrimpy who comes up with a plan to save him. The story is enhanced by the lovely underwater scenes, which are done in embroidery, paint, and batik on silk. Yoshi pays good attention to detail; when the text indicates that 3 groups of 10 fish help Big Al, readers see 30 fish doing just that. When the author states that Shrimpy could fly through the water faster than ever before, the illustration shows him clinging to one of Big Al's fins as they swim along. Occasionally, the dark text requires good lighting to see clearly as it is on top of darker coloring, and the text is occasionally a bit choppy. Where needed, add this title to the list of books available on differences and those that show how size doesn't matter.
Kathleen Simonetta, Indian Trails Public Library District, Wheeling, IL
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (August 23, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416903666
• ISBN-13: 978-1416903666
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 9.9 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #730,405 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #56 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Animals > Fish > Fiction

More About the Author

Most of my characters are fairly normal people who are dealing with the basics of everyday life--getting along with others, finding a place in the world, discovering talents, overcoming challenges, trying to have some wholesome fun along the way, and getting into some scrapes and a little mischief now and then, too. I guess I hope my readers will be able to see bits and pieces of themselves in the stories, particularly the novels that take place in and around school. School is a rich setting because schools and education are at the heart of every community. The stories that are set in school seem to resonate with kids, teachers, parents, librarians--readers of all ages. Everyone's life has been touched by school experiences. And I also hope, of course, that kids and others will enjoy reading, enjoy the use of language, enjoy my storytelling.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!, December 4, 2010

By 

M.G. - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Big Al and Shrimpy (Paperback)

My 4 year old son first discovered this book at the library. We had checked it out several times before I ended up buying it. He really enjoys reading listening to the story and the pictures are beautiful as well. We also purchased the book that is a prelude to this one called "Big Al".

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Teachers, May 28, 2009

By 

Pamela - See all my reviews

This review is from: Big Al and Shrimpy (Paperback)

This is a great book for teachers to use while teaching response to literature. The students loved Big Al and were anxious to hear the sequel. The children can easily identify with the themes of friendship and teamwork. They also enjoy comparing Big Al and Shrimpy to Rainbow Fish and Swimmy.

5.0 out of 5 stars kennedy review, February 2, 2009

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Big Al and Shrimpy (Paperback)

This story is about a little fish named Shrimpy. All the other fish made fun of Shrimpy because he was small. They played hide and seek. Big Al was it. He was faster than all the other fish. He caught Shrimpy. It was Shrimpy's turn. Shrimpy caught Big Al and that was when shrimpy and big Al became friends. They went down to the deep blue sea. Shrimpy thought Big Al could throw a ball. It was green. He puffed like a ball and it rolled and rolled. He went over the ledge and got stuck in the deep blue. Shrimpy gathered all of there friends to help get Big Al out of the rock. They grabbed on his fin and his other fin and they pulled and then he got out and was saved.
The author message in the story is teamwork. I know this because in the story they helped pull Big Al out of the crack. All the fish pulled him out.
I would recommend this book to someone to read or buy because it was funny and good. I am going to tell my mom and dad how good it was. I live in Killingly, CT, USA and I am seven years old.