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Shumaker, Debra Kempf

Freaky, Funky Fish: Odd Facts about Fascinating Fish

32 pp. | Running | May, 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-7624-6884-3 $17.99 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-7624-6882-9 $9.99
(2) K-3 Illustrated by Claire Powell. This playful and informational survey is simultaneously enlightening and enthralling. A simple rhyme pattern persists throughout the book, starting off with some basic fish facts: "Fish have fins and gills and tails. / All fish swim and most have scales." From this point on, however, the odd-factor is dialed way up to highlight unusual fish behavior from around the globe, including (but not limited to) snot-producing parrotfish, dancing sticklebacks, and shrinking anglerfish. While brief, Shumaker's rhyming stanzas read fluidly and at times even address the reader: "One fish squeezes out some slime. / Did you know that some fish climb?" The humorous illustrations approach caricature but never cross that line thanks to Powell's attention to accurate form, color, and behavior. Pleasing layouts reflect a scrapbook aesthetic, featuring an array of paper types (notebook pages, gridlines) and typefaces. A variety of informational captions accompanies each featured fish and adds to the informal tone of the book; for example, a (somewhat subjective) freaky/funky rating is listed for each fish. Back matter includes extensive information about all of the unusual behaviors, further reading, recommended links, and selected sources.
Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2021

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