Helen the Fish [Hardcover]

Virginia Kroll (Author), Judith Mathews (Editor), Teri L. Weidner (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

When six-year-old Hannah's beloved goldfish dies after a relatively long life, she seeks comfort from her older brother Seth.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-- On her third birthday, Hannah receives a goldfish from her older brother Seth. For three years, Helen the fish thrives under her care. Then the inevitable happens, and Hannah finds her pet floating lifeless in the bowl. Seth helps his sister bury Helen next to the goldfish he had before Hannah was born. He also helps her deal with her grief, and, as he promises, she learns to remember Helen without sadness. Although such devotion to a pet might seem more likely to be reserved for a cat or dog (as in Judith Viorst's The Tenth Good Thing about Barney Atheneum, 1971), the encounter with any death raises questions that Kroll handles well. Seth's insights seem remarkably mature for a young teen, but the points he makes are reasonable. Weidner's illustrations are adequate in advancing the story and harmonize with the understated tone but are not exceptional in execution. The book's chief value is its sensitive treatment of a topic many : young children need to deal with, and Kroll's work could serve as a good discussion starter. --Kathy Piehl, Mankato State University, MN
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 1 pages
• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company; First Edition edition (April 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807531944
• ISBN-13: 978-0807531945
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.2 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,977,130 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)