I love Pout Pout. In fact, the main book is awesome for teaching repetitive phrases AND about emotions. This Christmas tale has some of those similarities but it also falls slightly more flat. The repetition isn't nearly as fun. =/ ( )

"Mr. Fish is having a hard time finding the right presents for his friends, until he learns that the best gifts come from the heart."

The pout-pout fish returns in this fourth picture-book devoted to his adventures, this time confronting the sometimes stressful experience of Christmas shopping. Determined to get his friends gifts that are just right, Mr. Fish ends up rejecting everything he sees, winding up with nothing as all the shops close. Has he ruined Christmas? Or will the wise Miss Shimmer show him what holiday gift-giving is all about...?

Like its predecessors, The Not Very Merry Pout-Pout Fish features a fun read-aloud text in rhyme - "In a festive ocean corner, / Fish were decking out the reef, / Hanging tinsel, bows, and lights, / In a holiday motif" - as well as colorful, engaging illustrations. I particularly enjoyed all of the little visual details in the shopping scenes, as Mr. Fish browses through everything from scale polish to Kraken's Crackers. Recommended to all Pout-Pout Fish fans, and to anyone looking for picture-books that specifically address the gift-giving process at Christmas. ( )

Bright and cheerful....lovely illustrations and story with sweet message. Highly recommend! ( )