Only Fish Fall From the Sky

by Leif Parsons

A dreamworld where it rains fish instead of water, people dance through dinner, and children sleep with tigers--welcome to the imagination of author/artist Leif Parsons, whose detailed dreamscapes make ONLY FISH FALL FROM THE SKY a charming bedtime book sure to fascinate preschoolers and young readers.
A boy wakes from a marvelous dream to find the world is not quite as he left it--raindrops are falling from the sky, instead of fish, when everyone knows that only fish fall from the sky! But is he asleep or awake? Kids can decide for themselves which world they prefer as they pore over the imaginative dreamscapes of author/illustrator Leif Parson's delightful alternate world.
Movement infuses every inch of Parsons' elaborate illustrations, enticing young readers to linger over each spread to discover such kid-friendly surprises as kangaroos jumping double-dutch, a giant nose poking out of a city window, or a squirrel taking meticulous notes.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 5, 2015

Reviews

[KC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great illustrations but way too much going on!

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

It feels like reading a book on philosophy. On the opening page, a boy stretches luxuriously. “When I woke up,” he says, “I remembered I had the strangest dream. I dreamt that water fell from the sky.” On the right-hand page, a huge fish hurtles downward. “How ridiculous,” the boy continues. “Everyone knows only fish fall from the sky.” The spread that follows makes the point as dozens of fish pour down on a dense agglomeration of buildings, vehicles, and pedestrians whose upside-down umbrellas are perfect for catching them. This is the book’s running gag—the boy’s dream world is our humdrum reality, while what’s ordinary in his world is surreal in ours. Parson’s jam-packed pages supply a stream of details for subsequent viewings.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting book about dreams. I wish that there was an annotated version of the pictures! There are so many details in each picture, and I would love to see the author/illustrator's thought process behind each image. I caught one very clear reference to Where the Wild Things Are, and now I feel like I'm missing something. I could seriously stare at these pictures for hours and still find new things!

[John (JP) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is fanciful and mindbending in childlike sort of way. The art work is spectacular. Adults and children will have their imagination jump started. This a book to buy and an artist and author to follow.

[Sherrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only Fish Fall from the Sky is a beautifully illustrated children's book about dreams. A young boy has a number of different dreams but remembers his fish dream most vividly. A fun read for ages 3 to 7.

[Mills College Library]

Picture P268o 2015

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are so interesting, a student could look at this book for hours to see everything that's in them. The concept is also interesting.

[Susie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting illustrations that you can look at over and over again. Story could make students wonder, but they almost get confused.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every second page is a no-words look and discover adventure

[Marina · Rating 3 out of 5]

** Books 18 - 2017 **

3 of 5 stars!

I just loved how beautiful the illustration is since it is full of detail! XD