Sophie's Fish

by Ann Edwards Cannon, Lee White (Illustrator)

What naptime story would you read to a fish? When Sophie asks Jake to take care of her pet fish while she's on vacation, he says sure - how hard can it be to babysit a fish? But the minute he agrees, Jake starts imagining every possible fish-related crisis. What does a fish eat for dinner? How do you give him a bath? What kind of stories does he like? Pitch-perfect humor and wonderfully detailed, quirky illustrations make this a refreshingly funny and imaginative picture book.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Humor, Storytime, Friendship, Animals, Juvenile

32 pages

First published March 15, 2012

About the author

My name is Ann Edwards ("A. E.") Cannon, and I write books for young readers, as well as a weekly column for the Deseret News. I also teach creative writing and work as a bookseller at the famous King's English Bookshop in Salt Lake City. My husband, Ken, and I have five (count 'em) sons, two daughters-in-law, no grandchildren (not yet, anyway) two parakeets, one parrot, two cats, and two dogs. One of the dogs weighs (no kidding) 160 pounds.

Reviews

[Mummy Cat Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a gift to my child from the author. Fabulous read. Art work is colorful and lively, while the story is interesting and keeps you wondering until the end. There is a bit if silliness in the story that my kids love.
Highly recommend.

[Michelle Nero · Rating 4 out of 5]

How hard can it be to babysit a fish? What if . . . Nah, it'll be okay, right? Perfect for writing what might happen next.

A must read and check out the illustrations closely.

[Ashtyn Gross · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an example of a book that can be read to students about the various types of emotions we may feel and how to work through them. The boy in the story – Jake – is nervous and worried and starts to panic. This could be a good time for a teacher to discuss ways to decrease and solve these feelings. The illustrations in this book are humorous and will likely grab the attention of young students with images such as a fish eating a slice of cake, getting read a book while tucked under a blanket, and crying on the front porch. I think it is important to have discussions with students about various emotions, what to do about them, and that it is alright to feel different ways while experiences various things in life.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable story with a great twist at the end about a boy worrying about babysitting a fish for his friend Sophie. Illustrations are brought to life with the mixed medium of drawing and using real images through out the story. Example : drawn on shirt but the buttons are real photographed ones. Genius and adds personality to the story.

[Gustavus Cliffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great example of letting your mind race with fruitless worries.
Kids know that fish don't need any of the things he's worried about.
At the end the fish is extra big (like on the cover) - it would be more poignant to have it be a regular size fish.
Could be used though to demonstrate that for all our worries, we can't predict everything. Just have to go with it.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sophie's Fish
by Ann Edwards Cannon
when asked to do a favor for someone else this little boys imagination brings things to be bigger than he ever expected. When he is faced with Sophie's fish, he has a new definition of big problems

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect tale about a nervous worried boy who imagines all kinds of situations and extenuating circumstances that just might happen… all before Sophie brings over her fish for Jake to babysit while she spends the weekend at Gram’s.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ridiculous in a way that I couldn't quite buy into. I am not a fan of characters who force their neuroticism upon themselves. This boy created a stressful situation for himself that didn't need to happen if he had just stopped to take a breath. The art is cute, though.

[P. B. Yeary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this book at first.
I didn't get it, I wish I hadn't bought it. I didn't understand why it was suggested.
Then my daughter asked me to read it again . . . and again . . . and again. And my perspective changed.
See how on my blog: pbjellybell.blogspot.com

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A boy is asked to babysit a friend's fish while the friend is away. The boy's imagination gets the better of him, and he is having second thoughts. But he pulls it together in the end.

I enjoyed the overactive imagination of the boy.

[Alyson Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

used as a Mentor Text for a writing workshop minilesson on craft. Cute story

[Kathy Broadnax · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophie asks her friend to watch her pet fish. He not sure how to care of a fish, he thinks of all kind of things that might go wrong. The fish is not what he expected.

Very good.

[Michael Perez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent story about new-found responsibility.

[Mae · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Calli Leventis · Rating 3 out of 5]

ages 4-6, cute but just fine

[Christopher Lepage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caring for that friend's pet is a big deal! Delightful capture about the rabbit hole of childhood (and adult) worries.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 4yo and I give this five stars! The art is great, the prose is wonderful, and the ending brought a big smile to our faces. We also thought it was cool that the author is from SLC, UT. Represent!

[Jayme · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute. Would be a great read aloud for elementary - especially with all of the questions. Probably a fun discussion for the class!

[Nanny B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book with surprise ending.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ha! I spent the whole book reading all of the boy's worries about babysitting a fish, and I thought at the end he would realize it was all for naught, and then there was the last picture. 🤣 Funny.

[S Farneth · Rating 4 out of 5]

How hard can taking care of a fish be? In Sophie’s Fish, Jake finds out. After agreeing to take care of Sophie’s fish, Yo-Yo, he starts having second thoughts as he imagines all the disastrous things that could happen. We can all relate to agreeing to helping out a friend and then realizing that we really don’t want to take on this chore and don’t want to back out either.

What if plagues his mind. And to the reader, the what if’s are silly. But Jake conjures up all kinds of what if’s to the reader’s delight. He scares himself into thinking that he couldn’t possibly take care of Sophie’s fish. What if the fish gets hungry and wants a snack? What if he gets sleepy after playing games? What if he gets cold while listening to a bedtime story and I don’t have his favorite blanket? What if the fish cries for Sophie?

So Jake decides to tell Sophie no, he can’t do it when the doorbell rings and Sophie is there to drop off Yo-Yo and she's in the wagon outside. It’s simple, she explains; feed him once in the morning and once in the evening. What could be easier? Finally, at the end of the story, Jake has calmed down and breathes a sigh of relief. It’s not going to be so bad – but, wait til he sees what is in the wagon.

A whimsical story, filled with smiles, laughs and little ones will tell you “Oh, that’s silly” when they hear the tale. The illustrations tell the story as much as the text and this is a story that will make for a great read aloud.

[Lindsay Fischer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story goes into the mind of a boy named Jake who is asked to babysit his friend Sophie’s fish. He accepts, thinking, “How hard can it be to babysit a fish?” The book then transitions as his thoughts do into all the scenarios that could happen. Every hypothetical is more ridiculous than the last. He personifies the fish, wondering if the fish will care if his special blanket gets wet during story time or what he will do if the fish starts crying. When Sophie comes to drop off her fish, Jake fully intends to decline, but her smile pulls him back in. She explains how simple it is to take care of the fish and Jake is reassured… until he sees the fish.
The gloomy colors throughout the book convey the fear and apprehension Jake experiences. The dark greens and browns give off an unsettling vibe to the reader, almost as if placing them in Jake’s shoes. On each page more and more things are replaced by fish, like the hands on a clock or a quotation bubble. When Sophie arrives, the illustrator takes the choppy sentences and creates a comic book feel. The change in artistry shows the change in Jake’s thinking from worrying to panic. The illustrations, while not attractive, convey the emotion well.

[J. Gurantz]

Notes:

1st person narrator.

" A girl at school named Sophie asked me to babysit her fish..."
"jake," Sophie said, 'will you take care of Yo-yo?"
I've never met Yo-yo, but I said okay. How hard can it be to babysit a fish?
EXCEPT! (then he gets nervous, watching time and realizing he doesn't know anything about caring for fish)
THen examples of what he doesn't know (what do fish like to eat? what games do fish play?stories they like to hear? do fish care if their blankets are wet?)
Will he have to call his friend?
Things start to feel even more tense. What if fish cry?
So he starts thinking maybe he won't be home for Sophie. Ways to keep the fish away. signs, hiding, but then he does open door.
His friend's there. she's calm and smiling. thanks him. he feels confident again.
She starts telling him 2 instructions. That's it? Yup that's it. He feels relieved.

last page: No text. Just shows gigantic fish with sharp teeth. 3x their size.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jake has second--and third--thoughts about taking care of his classmate's fish while she is away for the weekend. The more he thinks about it, the more he starts to worry about what snacks to feed the fish, what games to play, and what sorts of readalouds a fish might prefer. He imagines the worst case scenarios for the fish and begins to make up excuses for why he can't take care of Sophie's fish. But before he can beg off from his promise, Sophie shows up, and Jake has quite a surprise when he sees what is waiting for him in her wagon. Just about every reader will be able to relate to Jake's increasing reluctance and desire to go back on his word as he imagines the weighty responsibilities on his shoulders. The accompanying illustrations are funny too, showing Jake feeding google-eyed strawberry worm cake to the fish and growing increasingly frantic.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ha! I really liked this book. It was amusing...with just the right amount of bizarre and whimsy thrown in for good measure. The illustrations were fabulous; they were a blend of decoupage and drawings. Each page was a work of art. I loved the over-active imagination of Jake and his worries about taking care of a fish. I LOVED the tribute to other children's books through spectacular fish book titles - those made me laugh. The ending was quite good and made me chuckle. It kind of reminded me a little bit of If You Give A Moose A Cookie crossed with Tim Burton - but without any creepy bits at all. You should check this book out!

*Taken from My Sentiments Exactly!: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2013...

[JaNeal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little boy's imagination goes wild with worry--who can't relate to the fears of a new responsibility?! The surprise ending adds just enough humor and even a bit of an edge to make this adorable book slightly complex. It's one of those books I'd love to see a Part II on! I know the author from several writer's conferences. I want to say that she is both incredibly gracious and wonderfully generous! Her talent and her kindness are a real tribute to the industry of children's lit! I would recommend any of her books, but it is fun to see her branch out into a picture book! I hope to see more from her in this genre.

[JP's · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story with interesting twist at the end. Cool, artsy illustrations. I enjoyed the illustrations more than the worrying story. There's another worrying story I like better which is Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes because it seems more realistic about what kinds of things kids actually worry about whereas Sophie's fish is just plain silly. Personally, I'd give it a 3, in terms of books I enjoy reading to my daughter (who is now 4-years old), however, she asks for it almost every night and it seems to be a hit with her, so I rate it a 4 judging by the appeal it has to her.

[Maria Burel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was almost a “so-so” pick. The plot is pretty simple and predictable. Sophie has asked her friend Jake to look after her pet fish, Yo-Yo, for a few days. Jake eagerly agrees, but then begins to imagine all sorts of worst-case scenarios. I felt pretty ho-hum about the whole story. Until I got to the last page and laughed out loud. So now? You must read it. And trust me that the end is worth it.

[Kerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little boy is asked to watch his friend's fish while she visits her grandmother over the weekend. He's excited at first but then gets a little worried, what do fish eat? What if the fish wants to go outside and play?

A great story for little kids who may have to babysit a pet, or want a pet of their own. Illustrations are unique, but a little grey which makes the mood a little sad. But a great book that kids will love.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book with the what if after a little boy is asked to take care of a classmate's fish while she visits her gram. I didn't like the dark colors of the illustrations but I loved the ending and the bada bing! The little boy comes up with lots of excuses why he shouldn't do it and it won't go well and talks himself into the babysitting fish job. Cute.