Bookseller blurb: Derek is a fish with many questions. Why is the universe round? Where do bubbles come from? Why does food rain down from above? But the question Derek asks himself more than any other is: ‘Why am I alone?’
I actually gasped when I turned the page and read that question - Why am I alone?
The solution is unexpected, delightful and hilarious.
Derek is a debut picture book for Anne Donaldson (her book/s will be in good company on your library shelves beside the famous Julia Donaldson!) and here are other books illustrated by Matt Shanks.
Here is part of the ReadPlus review:
The wonderfully sparse illustrations are full of extra inferential information and make brilliant use of perspective and proportion. The front cover foreshadows Derek as a curious, wide-eyed fish in a big world. Observant endpaper readers know from the beginning of the story where Derek is (a pet fish shop) but it is never explicitly said. Derek is a curious fish; among other things he wants to know why the (his) universe is round and why the (his) earth is pink. ... The big creatures that Derek sees 'when food rains down' are shown just as a giant hand (as would be seen by Derek) and poor Derek is desperate to know why he is all alone. Adventurous Derek decides to make contact with the big creatures above but try as he might they are never that interested in him. There's a great little goldfish joke here as it is noted 'they must have very short attention spans'.
Derek is a 2026 CBCA Early Childhood Picture Book Notable title. I have not read all of the 2026 Notables in this category, but I am hoping Derek will make the shortlist of six.
Here are the judges' comments:
Check out this post from Kinderbookswitheverything where you will find lots more goldfish books.
Companion books:
Poor Fish isn't directly linked with Derek but it is a wonderful book to read aloud to Grade One or Two
For middle primary readers try to find these two books (short novel and a picture book):
Growing Home (Highly recommended)
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