Big Bear and Little Fish

“If only Fish were a teddy bear,” Bear repeatedly thinks to herself upon returning home from the fair, having won a goldfish rather than the hoped-for plush teddy. The narrow-minded protagonist fixates on what seem to her like insurmountable differences. While Bear sees herself as “big,” Fish is so small that she lives in a bowl; Bear likes to eat food that’s golden, like Bear is, but doesn’t have anything orange to give Fish. But Fish, bespectacled and bookish, exudes confidence, and when Bear declares that things aren’t working out, the aquatic roomie persuades her to alter her perspective about their compatibility and to broaden her sense of self. Na’s digital artwork aptly supplies iridescent landscapes representative of Nickel’s emphasis on perspective-shifting. An honest and encouraging tribute to the way companionship can emerge in unexpected forms. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)