Barry The Fish With Fingers

Barry The Fish With Fingers by Sue Hendra. 2010. June 2010. Random House. 40 pages.

Sea Slug liked to lie on the ocean floor and watch the fish swim by.
He did this every day.

One day the Sea Slug is surprised by what he sees. (This is a guy who thinks he's seen everything.) What's so amazing? This Sea Slug sees a fish with fingers. Yes, readers are introduced to a unique fish named Barry. A fish that thinks fingers are the BEST thing ever. What can a fish with fingers do? Well, he can entertain the other fish--the perpetually bored fish--with finger puppets, or he can tickle them, or do more productive things like type a letter or knit a scarf. He can even use his fingers to communicate--in this instance--danger. With fingers like these, Barry is popular. Everyone wants to know how they can get fingers too...

Can you guess how that might happen?

Barry the Fish With Fingers is one of the oddest books I've reviewed this year. Right up there with Lawn to Lawn. Though it is a different kind of odd. This is more silly. Would children giggle at the idea of a fish with fingers? I may have to try it out and see...

© Becky Laney of Young Readers