Swimmy

LoveReading4Kids Says

A real picturebook classic, this edition of Swimmy marks its 60th anniversary and it’s just as fresh, relevant and eye-catching as when first published.

Swimmy is a small, black fish living happily amongst a shoal of red ones until his red companions are all eaten by a larger fish. Sad and lonely, Swimmy swims on, discovering beauties of the ocean in the process: a forest of seaweeds growing from ‘sugar-candy rocks’; sea anemones like ‘pink palm trees swaying in the wind’; a lobster walking like ‘a wave-making machine’.

The glorious language is matched by the inventiveness of his artwork which, as Eric Carle says in his special introduction, is both childlike and sophisticated. The story concludes with Swimmy finding a new shoal to join, and by now he’s worked out a way for them to be safe from the bigger fish too. The story celebrates the power of teamwork but the overwhelming impression is the beauty of the sea and the power of the imagination.

Reviewed by Andrea Reece
Andrea Reece has spent almost her entire working life in children’s books, first as publisher, latterly as consultant, project manager and critic.
More reviews by Andrea Reece

About Swimmy

Discover Leo Lionni's classic anti-bullying tale with this beautiful 60th anniversary re-issue of the Caldecott Honor Book, featuring a foreword from Eric Carle.

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