Rainbow Fish to the Rescue: 10/10/06
I haven't read the original Rainbow Fish as the reviews have put me off it. Sean, I think, has had the story read to him and he recently borrowed this sequel from his preschool. I do enjoy Pfister's illustrations but I find the mob mentality of the book disturbing.
The story is trying for a story about wanting to belong and the importance of befriending people who are different. Essentially is it a classic story of the Other. This time Rainbow Fish sees what it is like to be one of the group and he has to decide whether to or not to risk his membership by welcoming a new fish into the school.
I think Sean is relating to this story so strongly because of his recent experience with starting a new school. While his teachers are the same and all his friends are still at the new school, his school has merged with another school. Essentially Sean's school purchased the old school and kept the students. There has been a lot of culture clash between both sets of children and they have been reluctant to play with each other. In this case, I can see the value of Rainbow Fish to the Rescue but outside of this special context, I still find the story disturbing.
Steps: 7000
