Classics · The Rainbow Fish
The Rainbow Fish: what age is it for?
4 min read3 sources
Marcus Pfister's fish with the shining scales has been read since 1992 in dozens of languages. Its message is simple: sharing makes you friends.
Here's what age the bookseller Waterstones gives, and how the book works at three and at five.
In brief
- 3 to 6, according to Waterstones, a bookseller rather than the publisher.1
- More than 30 million copies sold and 50 languages, since 1992, according to Wikipedia.2
- The age of friendships. Friendships begin to form from about two, and from about three children start to really understand others.3 A book about sharing arrives at the right time.
What the book is about
The Rainbow Fish is the most beautiful fish in the ocean, and the proudest. When a little blue fish asks for one of his shining scales, he refuses, and soon nobody wants to play with him. On the advice of a wise octopus, he gives his scales away one by one, until he has only one left, and many friends.
The shimmering foil on every page is what first draws small children in.
At three, and at five
At three, the pictures and the feeling. Three-year-olds follow the story of a fish who's lonely and then isn't. The shiny scales do the rest.
At five, a conversation. Older children can ask their own questions: did he have to give away almost all his scales? Would you? It's a good starting point for talking about sharing and about what makes someone special.
If making friends is on your child's mind right now, our page on making friends may help.
Frequently asked questions
What age is The Rainbow Fish for?
The bookseller Waterstones gives 3 to 6. It works read aloud from three, and gives five- and six-year-olds plenty to talk about.
What is The Rainbow Fish about?
A proud fish with shining scales learns that sharing them brings him friends. It's a picture book about sharing and friendship.
When was The Rainbow Fish published?
In 1992. It has since sold more than 30 million copies, and it exists in 50 languages, according to Wikipedia.
Is The Rainbow Fish good for a 2 year old?
The age Waterstones gives starts at three. Two-year-olds may love the shiny pages; the story about sharing makes more sense from three.
Sources
- 1.Waterstones: The Rainbow Fish.What it confirms: The age band 3 to 6, given by the bookseller.
- 2.Wikipedia: The Rainbow Fish.What it confirms: First published in 1992 by NordSüd Verlag; more than 30 million copies sold; available in 50 languages.
- 3.NHS Best Start in Life: Early learning and development.What it confirms: Friendships begin to form from about two; a real understanding of others from about three.
A word about us
A story about what makes someone special
The Rainbow Fish learns that he's loved for who he is. Children never tire of that message.
At Sagalino, your child becomes the hero of a story with their name, in one of our 21 illustration styles. You read the whole story for free, and only pay afterwards.
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