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Poor Doreen: A Fishy Tale
An Ample Roundy Fish called Mrs. Doreen Randolph-Potts is on a to visit her second cousin twice removed who's just welcomed 157 babies. But when she spies what she thinks is a yummy dragonfly—and is actually bait—poor Doreen is lifted out of the water on a fishing pole. Luckily, Doreen is, shall we say, a wee bit clueless about the dire situation. Kids will love being in on the joke as our oblivious heroine arrives, in a roundabout way, at her final destination. Sally Lloyd-Jones, author of the New York Times bestseller How to Be A Baby, and acclaimed illustrator Alexandra Boiger bring the world of a fish to vibrant, funny life.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published March 11, 2014
1 person is currently reading
98 people want to read
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Sally Lloyd-Jones
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
April 16, 2014
I really like the illustrations, but what makes this book stand out is the narrator's voice. Doreen, a silly fish who doesn't see the danger in a hook or a heron, cheerfully exclaims, "Goody! A treat!" But the narrator is there to set the reader straight: "Oh, poor Doreen. No. It's a HOOK." "Yippee! I'm going on an outing!" cries Doreen. "Oh dear, Doreen. No. You're not," says the narrator. This could be a truly great little Weston Woods video with the right narrator.
June 22, 2017
If you want a tale about a lovable but misguided fish, look no further.
December 7, 2019
A rare ample roundy fish named Miss Doreen Randolph-Potts heads upstream to visit her second cousin twice removed, who'd just had 157 babies in this "fishy tale." Cheerfully oblivious, Doreen reacts positively to all the calamities that befall her, from being caught by a fisherman to being snatched up by a heron. Her cluelessness, in mistaking the heron for an egret, leads to her accidental liberation, and the continuation of her tale...
Although aware, as I read through Poor Doreen: A Fishy Tale, that the narrative here is meant to be amusing, somehow my elusive funny bone just wasn't tickled. Humor is quite individual, of course, so responses will vary, but I found myself thinking of the likely agony of a fish caught on a hook, or gasping for air when removed from the water, and just couldn't enter into the lighthearted spirit of Sally Lloyd-Jones' story. That said, I did like the back-and-forth between Doreen's perspective and the narrator's, I liked the use of letters - the heron has a neck like "an S for SPEAR" - and I found the artwork by Alexandra Boiger, who illustrated the adorable Tallulah books, quite cute. In sum: there's plenty here to recommend, provided the reader finds the tale funny.
Although aware, as I read through Poor Doreen: A Fishy Tale, that the narrative here is meant to be amusing, somehow my elusive funny bone just wasn't tickled. Humor is quite individual, of course, so responses will vary, but I found myself thinking of the likely agony of a fish caught on a hook, or gasping for air when removed from the water, and just couldn't enter into the lighthearted spirit of Sally Lloyd-Jones' story. That said, I did like the back-and-forth between Doreen's perspective and the narrator's, I liked the use of letters - the heron has a neck like "an S for SPEAR" - and I found the artwork by Alexandra Boiger, who illustrated the adorable Tallulah books, quite cute. In sum: there's plenty here to recommend, provided the reader finds the tale funny.
June 2, 2015
A very silly, quirky story and quite original. The cadence is rather unique and not only are the watercolor pictures (by the same Alexandra Boiger who illustrated the Tallulah books) very light and pretty, but the typeface is also closely integrated with the story. In addition, there is a sporadic attempt to link shapes and forms to letters of the alphabet. I found it rather creative but one could probably argue whether it detracts from the storyline. I overall really liked the book, everything included.
August 16, 2014
Cute and funny. A cluelessly optimistic fish (who might be more cunning than she seems) within pretty watercolor illustrations and engaging text that uniquely ties illustration to words/letters.
December 20, 2018
Delightful and funny, with a nod to letter shapes and vocabulary, this book about a surprisingly optimistic fish on a journey is a hoot.
May 22, 2014
Mrs. Doreen Randolph-Potts is a very rare Ample Roundy Fish who is headed to visit her cousin who has just had a baby, or 157 babies to be exact. So Doreen is swimming down the river when she spots what she thinks is a tasty dragonfly, but it is not. It is actually a lure held by a fisherman, but Doreen does not know that and she gulps it down. Soon Doreen is lifted into the air and plunked into a basket. She thinks she is just there for a little rest before she heads on her journey, but she is wrong again. Instead a Great Heron snaps her up and carries her off. But as he has her in his jaws, Doreen thanks him for the ride. She then manages to insult him by asking if he is an egret and when he tries to answer her she falls down, down into the water again. So that leaves two very embarrassed creatures: a fisherman and a heron who both lost their catch that day and one rather confused but safe Doreen who makes it to her cousin’s home with a great story to share.
Doreen is a great character, always looking on the bright side of her world though in a rather confused way. She’s an optimist through and through, one who always sees the best, though sometimes at her own peril. The book is designed to be read aloud with the fonts leading readers along the way. It has great pacing for sharing aloud as well as a good amount of humor which always helps. The language of the writing is also very special. Here is my favorite line of the book to give you some of the flavor:
By the water’s edge
a Fisherman wearing a coat the color of the sun
and a Great Blue Heron wearing a coat the color of a stormy sky
with a neck like an S
for SPEAR
are fishing.
Wonderful writing with richness and depth, contrasts and foreshadowing. It’s simply superb.
Boiger’s art is appropriately done in watercolor for this fishy story. Doreen pops on the page with her bright scarf and umbrella, both in red. The action is captured nicely on the page, filled with bubbles, swirls and motion.
A clever and optimistic book, children are sure to root for Doreen on her great adventure. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Doreen is a great character, always looking on the bright side of her world though in a rather confused way. She’s an optimist through and through, one who always sees the best, though sometimes at her own peril. The book is designed to be read aloud with the fonts leading readers along the way. It has great pacing for sharing aloud as well as a good amount of humor which always helps. The language of the writing is also very special. Here is my favorite line of the book to give you some of the flavor:
By the water’s edge
a Fisherman wearing a coat the color of the sun
and a Great Blue Heron wearing a coat the color of a stormy sky
with a neck like an S
for SPEAR
are fishing.
Wonderful writing with richness and depth, contrasts and foreshadowing. It’s simply superb.
Boiger’s art is appropriately done in watercolor for this fishy story. Doreen pops on the page with her bright scarf and umbrella, both in red. The action is captured nicely on the page, filled with bubbles, swirls and motion.
A clever and optimistic book, children are sure to root for Doreen on her great adventure. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
November 2, 2015
I was walking through the kids' section of the Silver Spring library nearly two weeks ago, somewhat haphazardly selecting books for Jms while he was at school, when I came across THIS book. Honestly, the only major character I can think of named Doreen in literature is the crazy ass friend in The Bell Jar, so I pretty much leap at anything with my name on it (call it the aftereffect of never finding touristy keychains with my name on them.)
But a weird thing happened when I started reading the book with Jms. Honest to God, Sally Lloyd-Jones must know one of the default archetypes I choose for a role-playing character (optimistic, good-hearted, not necessarily bright but a shameless manipulator; the other, should you care, is a misanthropic sociopath) because she channeled that perfectly in Miss Doreen Randolph-Potts, the Ample Roundy Fish who is the star of this charming picture book. Jms and I loved her misadventures, as well as the pictures and the way both referenced the alphabet. Tho Jms is perfectly capable of reading on his own (he's 4 and has been doing so since age 3, brag brag,) he prefers when I read it aloud, as the construction of the sentences here lends itself perfectly to dramatics. We liked this book so much, I might get "him" a copy for Christmas!
But a weird thing happened when I started reading the book with Jms. Honest to God, Sally Lloyd-Jones must know one of the default archetypes I choose for a role-playing character (optimistic, good-hearted, not necessarily bright but a shameless manipulator; the other, should you care, is a misanthropic sociopath) because she channeled that perfectly in Miss Doreen Randolph-Potts, the Ample Roundy Fish who is the star of this charming picture book. Jms and I loved her misadventures, as well as the pictures and the way both referenced the alphabet. Tho Jms is perfectly capable of reading on his own (he's 4 and has been doing so since age 3, brag brag,) he prefers when I read it aloud, as the construction of the sentences here lends itself perfectly to dramatics. We liked this book so much, I might get "him" a copy for Christmas!
May 5, 2014
A fun story of a clueless fish on a journey to visit her cousin who just had 157 babies. Throughout the story there are hints of letter recognition--s for spear, o for open, c for catch, etc with the pictures illustrating the shape of the letters. Also, words that the author wants to stand out are capitalized. The kids who read this need to be mature enough to handle the idea of death as well as get the humor of Doreen thinking she's going on a great outing when she's on the fish hook. Plus the fun juxtaposition of POV--Doreen, who is having fun and thinks she's flying, vs. the narrator who states, oh no, Doreen, you're going to be eaten. Cleverly told.
November 13, 2013
Miss Doreen Randolph-Potts, an Ample Roundy Fish, sets out to visit her second cousin twice removed (who's just had 157 babies), but her quiet journey quickly becomes a almost-unbelievable whopper of a tale! The always optimistic Doreen chances upon a delectable dragonfly (never mind the hook attached), catches a ride with a helpful egret (well, great blue heron luckily misidentified), and never once seems fazed by the precarious situations she swims into. While the title of this book may be POOR DOREEN, there's no reason to mourn for the always positive and glass half-full Doreen!
April 13, 2015
Really fun tale of a tiny fish who sets out to see her cousin who has just given birth to 157 babies. The difficulties she encounters she is not aware of so it adds to the humor. Great book for teaching prediction-what is going to happen? What does Doreen see. The ending is has a twist as we see not only what happens to Doreen but to the other characters she eluded along the way. Illustrations are done in muted colors and give a feeling of water. Good introduction to prediction, sequence and even for a science lesson on fish life.
September 2, 2016
Wonderfully written,; I like the way the Great Blue Heron wearing a color of a stormy sky with a neck like an S or The fisherman arches his back into a C for CATCH are so well illustrated!
Doreen is a happy little fish about to get caught in a terrible trap...will she overcome this catastrophe and keep her red umbrella? Read to find out!
Doreen is a happy little fish about to get caught in a terrible trap...will she overcome this catastrophe and keep her red umbrella? Read to find out!
September 8, 2014
One of my FAVORITE children's books ever! I love this cute little fish who wants to visit her second cousin twice removed and her 157 new babies. The adventures that she goes through along the way and her happy outlook on life even though everything doesn't go her way is delightful! I read this book to my husband and all of my kids - a must read!
January 10, 2015
Poor Doreen. She doesn't have a clue what's happening to her, only that she's on a marvelous adventure. The fisherman helps her swim faster, faster through the water, the Great Blue Heron takes her on a high flying adventure, and she plans to visit her second cousin twice removed so she can see her new babies. A "big fish" story if I ever saw one.
June 17, 2016
Doreen is clueless to life. She's caught by a fisherman but thinks she's just swimming faster. She's stolen by a heron but thinks she's flying. However, the story is charming. My students will love that they know more than Doreen as the story progresses. I can envision them getting very excited about this story.
March 14, 2014
This book has a distinct feel of subtle humor that could be funny to some people but not funny to others. It is written in a narrator's voice about a fish who is incredibly naive. I did like the letter awareness that happens within the book and the pictures are lovely.
March 20, 2014
Doreen seems to make the best of her bad situations and ends up with a great story to tell her friends. So where do ideas come from? A great book to position for work on writing in teaching about ideas for stories.
November 22, 2014
An adorable, silly book, though some of the humor may be more for the adults reading it than to the children being read to. A bit too long/sophisticated for the ages I have in storytimes, alas, but probably great for early elementary. Excellent illustrations!
December 1, 2017
This book has gorgeous illustrations and a "gotcha/just kidding" plotline that kids will probably love. It does have the mc fish nearly dying a few times, so watch out if you have a sensitive reader! It's probably best for grades 1-2.
May 26, 2014
Cute little story about a fish going to visit a relative, that turns into a big adventure. Read aloud fun possibilities include a few repeating phrases and the narrator directly addressing Doreen.
March 12, 2014
Clueless Doreen does not realize what a narrow escape she has.
March 15, 2014
Definitely made me chuckle at the end. I do love how Doreen is an eternal optimist. But I found the text too wordy in many places.
March 20, 2014
Doreen Randolph-Potts is an optimist. The glass is always half-full and she's always looking at the bright side of life. To the point where she's just plain-old oblivious.
April 1, 2014
An adorable protagonist may not be as naive as we think. Regardless, her adventure is fun and engaging.
April 10, 2014
Who can resist Doreen? Not the brightest fish in the ocean - but the luckiest.
April 10, 2014
There's a lot going on in this book: most of it good. Colors, alphabet, description, a fish tale, bit long-winded at times, a fable...enjoyable.
April 24, 2014
Not sure of the point of this rambling tale. Maybe fishing is cruel or Herons are mean or Doreen is pathetically naive. I am not sure but made no sense to me.
May 5, 2014
This book is hysterical! I love the narrator and the depth of detail. Illustrations are beautiful too. This would work very well as a one-on-one read.
May 27, 2014
This one just didn't do it for me.
August 16, 2014
Cute little innocent, naive fish. Lovely watercolor illustrations.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews