A Fish Out of Water (Hardcover)

by Helen Palmer (Author), P. D. Eastman (Author) "This little fish," I said to Mr. Carp, "I want him..." (more)
Key Phrases: Poor Otto

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Illus. in color. "Comic pictures show how the fish rapidly outgrows its bowl, a vase, a cook pot, a bathtub."--The New York Times.

From the Inside Flap
Illus. in color. "Comic pictures show how the fish rapidly outgrows its bowl, a vase, a cook pot, a bathtub."--The New York Times.  

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 72 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (August 12, 1961)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394800230
• ISBN-13: 978-0394800233
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #36,929 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #14 in	Books > Children's Books > Animals > Fish > Fiction

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic, February 16, 2001

By	Jenni Froelich (Huntley, IL United States) - See all my reviews

I loved this book as a child and now I'm having a wonderful time reading it with my son. This is a delightful story of a little boy who gets a fish and doesn't listen to Mr. Carp ( the pet shop owner) who tells him how to feed the fish. Of couse the little boy doesn't follow directions and finds out that bad things can happen when you don't follow to directions. Even though this book is over twenty years old the illustrations are not outdated. Great for anyone, but especially for kids who want a pet.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fish Out of Water, November 8, 2003

By	...Loggie... "Loggie-log-log-log" (I live on the earth, in the western hemisphere, in North America, in the country of the United States of America, in Illinois in the town of Champaign) - See all my reviews

This story starts of with a little boy going to the pet store to buy a fish. He picks out the one he wants and names him Otto. Mr. Carp, the pet storeowner, tells the boy how to feed Otto. "Never feed him a lot. Never more than a spot! Or something may happen. You never know what."

When the little boy gets home, he feeds Otto just a spot, but Otto isn't happy. He wants more food. Our hero remembers what Mr. Carp told him, but disobeys and feeds Otto the whole box of fish food.

Then something happens, just like Mr. Carp said. Otto begins to grow. He grows and grows, until he is too big for the bathtub. The little boy calls the police, who tow poor Otto to the pool, but soon Otto is too big for that too. Mr. Carp gets called, and shrinks Otto back to his normal size, and says to the boy "And from now on, PLEASE don't feed him too much. Just so much, and no more!"

The pictures in this book are bright, colorful and expressive. The story teaches the importance of following directions in a way that isn't too obvious or preachy. The reason I give this book 4 stars instead of five stars is that the writing doesn't flow overly well. The way the writing is arranged looks as if it should rhyme, and some of it does, but for the most part it doesn't. Other than that I like the book.

Loggie-log-log-log

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My 3 yr old not only LOVES it - She is obsessed with it!, May 26, 2004

By	Rita "Hunna bunna" (NY, USA) - See all my reviews

If book devouring 3 yr old had a top ten list, this might be up there as number 9 or 10.....she has loved this book since she was about 2 yrs old and not only loves it but has transferred things from it to her everyday speech! Example: When she wants to stay up later then usual fro example , she says "Please Mommy, just so much and no more!" as quoted from the book..... also when I ask if she wants milk for example she says "Just a spot!"......and adds sometimes "You never know what can happen, you never know what!"

For awhile it WAS the bedtime book.....now we have gone on to other things but she never turns down this book if I ask her if she wants to read it....Mista KAR-p as she says in her NY accent.......

The downside of it being a bedtime book? It you want a SHORT story, this one is kinda long ....especially if you have a toddler you screams "AGAIN! AGAIN!" before you are even on the last page......: )