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Rainbow Fish Advent Calendar
North-South Search North-South by Marcus Pfister Search Marcus Pfister
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Product Description
If you read this very popular book just before bed, and the light is still on in the hallway, you can make the rainbow scales glitter on the page, and realize why the Rainbow Fish was so proud of his beautiful decoration. Sometimes, though, being too proud of outside beauty can blind a fish, or a child (or even, heaven forbid, a parent) to the beauty people hold inside. That's the lesson of this simple tale, imported from Switzerland. It's a useful one for future sneaker and designer clothing shoppers, for rainbow fish--and for quieter, plainer minnows, too.
Customer Reviews:
Great for the young communist and socialist.
If you are anti-individual, don't believe in personal property, and yearn to raise an aspiring communist or socialist, then this book is for you.
The more you give, the more you will receive... 
I was initially amazed to find that this story was considered controversial by some, particularly by conservatives, unfortunately including conservative Christians. You have to really twist the intended message of this story to make it about communism or giving away one's uniqueness to blend in, or something along those lines. The message is, I think, much more simple and at the same time more profound than that. It reminds me of a song I learned in church camp called "The Magic Penny", which said, "Love is something, if you give it away, you end up having more." The Rainbow Fish's scales do not represent wealth; they represent greed, which is the love of money, which the Bible defines as the root of all evil. Giving the scales away to the other fish does not represent giving away what makes you unique; it represents learning the lesson that others are more important than things, especially things you did nothing to earn, but only received as a gift. And at the end of the story, the other fish don't like the Rainbow Fish because he gave them good gifts, but because he has become someone who is genuinely likable, because he has learned to be humble and to care about others. This is a wonderful lesson to teach people of any age, especially children. And it is essentially the message of Jesus, which is why I am shocked that so many Evangelical Christians despise this story. To me, that simply reveals that they have been misled into thinking that Christianity is more about defending a system of economics or a political system than it is about "doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with your God", as Micah puts it.
It Is In Giving That You Receive.....Beyond Your Wildest Dreams
What makes this book so special? It's the Big Book version, published in 1992, to be used with small children in classroom settings, or in your home, for that matter. It is 18 inches by 13.3 inches, less than a quarter inch thick. Lucky the little girl or little boy who may be given a copy of this "big book" to stimulate their interest in reading, even at an early age. While many primary classrooms use this version, some lucky little girls and little boys have been given copies of this. Perhaps you will find it at your local library.
The artistic quality of the illustrations can rarely be matched, with the holographic inserts on the scales of Rainbow Fish. As you read this story to one of your little dear hearts, you will be caught up in the beauty of this fish and the blue, green, purple, and silver scales, the latter being the holographic dimension, that embellishes his personality.
Rainbow Fish is admired by all the other fish; some even ask for a scale or two, but he withholds giving scales, and they, in turn, withdraw from him; he feels the loneliness, and seeks advice from the Starfish who, in turn, sends him to seek help from the Octopus.
At this point, a love story develops when Octopus advises Rainbow Fish to "give away" a scale to each of the other fish, with the consequence of not being the most beautiful fish, but perhaps finding the way to be happy. The Octopus disappears, and as the little Blue Fish swims by, his fin touches Rainbow Fish; he asks Rainbow for "just one scale". Rainbow Fish gives in and shares a small scale with Blue Fish; he watches the Blue fish whizz by "with his new scale glittering in the water", and Rainbow Fish is in awe that so small a gesture would make another fish so happy. Soon, all the other fish surrounded him and he, in turn, gave each one a simple glittering scale. He was filled with delight, and at last, "at home among the other fish".
With only one scale remaining, Rainbow Fish was now happier than he had ever been, swimming with his friends. You see, now he looked just like them! What do you think the message of this story is? Read it, and find out!
favorite book
I read this book in third grade. The vivid colors and sparkles brought me in and awed me. I recall my teacher having us make our own Rainbow fish, it's an adorable book and doesn't get the recognition that it deserves.
Do I Have to Be Like Everyone Else to Have Friends?
I am teaching this story to my first and second grade theatre students as it is part of the curriculum. But I am so bothered by its message I am finding it tough to do. It reminds me of the Kurt Vonnegut story in which the ballerina had to wear weights on her ankles so she wouldn't be better than everyone else and soar above them and the great athlete had to somehow lesson herself to keep all things equal. Why can't the Rainbow Fish be utterly beautiful and still have friends? Why must she lessen her beauty to be happy? We all have gifts that make us unique and wonderful. She should be applauded and learn how to appreciate everyone else's gifts as equal to her own instead of destroying what she is and has. I am teaching the "sharing" lesson and it just bugs me to do it. We should share but we don't have to share what makes us unique.
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