#474 of 1001 · November 17, 2021

Can we ever truly understand someone else’s perspective when we lack the context of their experiences? And, if we can successfully see through the eyes of another, will we be enlightened, our consciousness expanded, or will we merely grow frustrated at what we glimpse but cannot touch? Leo Lionni’s classic story Fish Is Fish just might hold an answer within. A minnow and a tadpole live together in a pond, sharing a close friendship. Eventually, they grow into a fish and a frog. The frog, using its legs, clambers up out of the water and returns with tales of birds, cows, and humans. The fish listens to the extraordinary tale, picturing each land denizen with piscine characteristics, and later decides to leap onto the bank and experience life above. The poor creature of course cannot breathe outside the lake and is rescued only by the timely arrival of the amphibious frog. Lionni’s straightforward writing style and cheerily colorful art celebrate the values of friendship, imagination, and self-understanding. #fish #frog #pond #water #land #swim #breathe #friend #friends #friendship #book #books #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks