The Rainbow Fish

no title has been provided for this book
Synopsis
The rainbow fish with its iridescent scales is the most beautiful fish in the whole ocean. But since he is also vain and proud, he becomes more and more lonely over time. Then he realizes that you can’t win friends through beauty. He overcomes his pride and begins to distribute his glitter scales to the other fish.
  • Virtue
    VIRTUE
    Is this the way I want my child to think and act?
    Ratings are based on how much a book extols Islamic morality and espouses classical ideals.
  • Language
    LANGUAGE
    Is this the way I want my child to speak?
    Ratings are based on a book's vocabulary, cadence, and overall eloquence suited to age level.
  • Story
    STORY
    Does this story resonate with my child?
    Ratings are based on the integrity of plot structure, the depth of characters, the palpability of the book's conflict and resolution, and the lure of its setting.
  • Beauty
    BEAUTY
    Does this book develop my child's ability to recognize beauty?
    Ratings are based on aesthetics, linguistic beauty, poignancy, and how well a book embodies ihsan—harmonizing excellence.
VIEW FLAGS
Mindful Muslim Review

At first read, this story teaches very young children a gentle lesson in the virtue of sharing at an age when a child’s need to establish independence can make sharing a struggle. But the real beauty in the book comes when the Rainbow Fish strips away his pride, scale by shimmering scale, until his true beauty shines through. He learns, through a search for wisdom, that his worth comes not from his worldly wares, but from his ability to give from that which he loves best.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the wisest of all human beings, taught us that giving of ourselves never decreases our wealth, our time, our status, or our possessions. This book reinforces that message—the act of giving nourishes our souls and replenishes our ability to give more. Allah’s ﷻ blessings are boundless. We only limit them when we draw boundaries around our ability to give.

Ages: ,
Illustrator: Marcus Pfister
Publisher: North-South Books
Published: 1999 (originally published in 1992)
Page Count: 32
ISBN13: 9781558580091
*This review applies only to ISBN number noted above.