From then on, all of the fish turn away from Rainbow Fish and ignore him when he swims by. The plain fish is upset and rushes to tell all the other fish what happened. Rainbow Fish is surprised and appalled by this notion, and sends the plain fish away. One day, a plain fish, offering nothing in return, asks Rainbow Fish to give him one of his scales. The other fish watch in awe as Rainbow Fish swims around them. As the story begins, we see that Rainbow Fish is more beautiful than the other fish because of his colorful, unique, glittering scales. Its popularity is partly due to its eyecatching illustrations and partly due to the story of a “beautiful fish who finds friendship and happiness when he learns to share.”Īt first glance, this story seems to have some positive messages. He lives with his wife, Debora, and his children in Bern.The Rainbow Fish, by Marcus Pfister, is a popular children’s book. To date, Marcus has illustrated over 65 books, which have been translated into more than 60 languages and received countless international awards. His debut picture book, The Sleepy Owl, was published by NorthSouth in 1986, but his big breakthrough came six years later with The Rainbow Fish. After studying at the Art School of Bern, he apprenticed as a graphic designer and worked in an advertising agency before becoming self-employed in 1984.

A CHRISTOPHER AWARD WINNER WINNER OF THE BOLOGNA BOOK FAIR CRITICI IN ERBA PRIZE AMERICAN BOOKSELLERS ABBY AWARD WINNER AN IRA-CBC CHILDREN'S CHOICE #1 PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER and WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLERĪbout the Author Marcus Pfister was born in Bern, Switzerland. Eye-catching foil stamping, glittering on every page, offers instant child appeal, but it is the universal message at the heart of this simple story about a beautiful fish who learns to make friends by sharing his most prized possessions that gives the book its lasting value. He overcomes his pride and begins to distribute his glitter scales to the other fish. Then he realizes that you can't win friends through beauty. But since he is also vain and proud, he becomes more and more lonely over time. The rainbow fish with its iridescent scales is the most beautiful fish in the whole ocean. 'A delightful tale.'-'Parade.' Full color.īook Synopsis The first book in the New York Times bestselling Rainbow Fish series. About the Book Rainbow-colored foil stamping is used throughout this unique book to enhance the story's gentle message: the best possessions are the ones that are shared.

The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister