Do You Speak Fish?

by DJ Corchin

Do You Speak Fish?

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Childrens, Animals, Communication, Fiction, Fantasy

300 pages, Hardcover

First published October 5, 2021

About the author

DJ Corchin is an author and/or illustrator of over 24 children's books. A Thousand NO’s illustrated by Dan Dougherty launched to wonderful reviews, became a Barnes & Noble Bestseller, and won the Eric Hoffer Award for Best Children’s Book. Additional award-winning titles include Do You Speak Fish?, The I Feel... Children’s Series, The Band Nerds Book Series, and If You Find A Unicorn, It Is Not Yours To Keep.

He visits groups and schools all over the country discussing his stories and how people can find a path through their own creative universe.

DJ loves to connect people through humorous stories about communication, kindness, and social-emotional awareness. His books are known for being fun and thoughtful discussion starters for both kids and adults in this crazy, complex, human world.

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you speak Fish? Or Lion? Or Bee? The boy in our book is frustrated after attempting to begin friendly exchanges with the fish, lion, and bee he meets on his walk. Then he meets a tree who once learned to speak Kid from a frog. The tree offers to help the boy learn to speak Fish. Soon the boy is chatting with the fish and worlds begin to expand. Kids will learn that listening to others may take more than just using your ears. Making the effort brings understanding and everyone wins. The colorful illustrations have facial expressions that will be clear even from a few fee away making this a great candidate for story time in a library or classroom.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Featured in a grandma reads session.

This was an engaging metaphor that my kids got. . . .for any other trying to talk to another other. . . .there are those who don't ever reach across the classroom and try to learn new languages. Language is the key to understanding others in the world around us.

A simple, sweet read about interactions we have with each other every single day. If we can just choose to response with respect, even if we don't understand a word they are saying. . .that will change if we give it a chance, and people speak with far more than their voices.

Lastly, one of the best things we can do is be like the Tree in this story. Facilitate understanding, however you can. All of us will be better for every effort made in the that direction, no matter how small.

[debbicat *made of stardust* · Rating 5 out of 5]

YES! What a wonderful book! I am glad I stumbled on this wonderful picture book on NetGalley yesterday. I just adore the message. I am definitely getting one for the classroom.

Happy New Year with 2022 being ushered in tomorrow. This is a message we need.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC to read for review.

More on the review later. I decided to get this in so it will be added to my year in review for 2021.

I just loved it!!!

[Harmony Higbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredible book about being willing to put in some work to communicate with others. I love the growth shown in the main character in such a short book! Definitely a must read for elementary kids!

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 3rd grade class really enjoyed this book, read by Mr. Corchin in a virtual author visit.

[Nessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautiful story about learning someone else's language instead of expecting them to learn theirs.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another outstanding Sourcebooks picture book! DJ Corchin’s work clearly illustrates the need to take the time to learn how to talk to others and communicate clearly. The young Black boy must learn completely new languages in order to speak to a fish, lion, and bee, but the concept extends to the far more universal idea of taking the time to put yourself in the place of the other when trying to convey thoughts and ideas. Taking that time is beautifully shown to be well worth the effort. Dan Doughery’s skills are aptly demonstrated in the fabulous facial expressions on the characters in this book and fill the pages with art that supplements the text wonderfully. A great addition to the library of any PK-2nd grade reader with applications in ELA lessons as well as social-emotional ones. Thanks for the preview copy, Sourcebooks Kids.

[MookNana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this book!!! I cannot wait to get it--I can already tell it will be a huge hit at circle time. The story is very engaging and has a wonderful message about empathy and making assumptions that will be very accessible to young kids. It's also quite humorous and is written in a very expressive, conversational style that will hold the kids' attention. There's lots of opportunities for interaction and imitation which will make it even more fun.

The art is beautiful too--bold and saturated and lively! Readers will enjoy this one thoroughly.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little boy meets a fish and is surprised when the fish does not reply to his saying know. In fact, he thinks the fish is particualrly rude because of it. This repeats with a number of different animals, but things change when he meets a tree who tells him that each creature speaks a different language and that is OK. This is a great picture book that explores the fact that it is ok for people to speak different languages ... in fact, it is something that is interesting. It can be fun to learn each other's languages and celebrate our differences.

The illustrations are bright, colorful, and informative. They work really well and certainly assist in telling the story.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Impulse choice at the library. Funny but wise, too. And I absolutely love that the Kid is just an ordinary child who happens to live in Africa (Tanzania or thereabouts?) and therefore is Black.

Unfortunately I cannot give this an #OwnVoices tag, but in this case that's not relevant. The lesson, to learn others' languages and points of view, and thereby to be respectful of them, is universal.

The humor is inherent in the progression of the plot, and in the bright & clear illustrations. I will look for more by the creators.

[Tricia Halili-Felse · Rating 5 out of 5]

woke

[Michael Benner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptionally clever book illustrating the difficulties of communication barriers and the doors that are unlocked when those barriers are removed.

[Courtney Jenee · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Honest review for a free copy and advanced look at this book. Thank you, Netgalley and DR Corchin** A boy strolls around greeting animals and gets upset when they don't say hi back. He thinks they are rude and doesn't understand why they don't speak "kid." This is a tender story about suspending your own world view and seeing things from someone else's perspective. You can see the results of the boy's actions when he decides to learn how to speak fish and other languages, it's like a domino affect which ultimately connects the characters in a lovely way. I really enjoyed the colors and illustrations in this book. It would be a great text for the primary classroom to teach about different languages as well as decentering our one's own culture to learn from and connect with others.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a simple but straight to the point book that delivers the point that just because someone doesn't speak your language does not make them rude or stupid, or annoying.

In the story, the little boy wants to speak to the fish, but finds that the fish doesn't understand him, and thinks there is something wrong with the fish. He tries to talk to a lion, with much the same results. It isn't until he speaks to a tree, that the tree asks if he tried speaking Fish to the fish, and the boy replies he didn't know that fish spoke a different language.

Good instructions on how to be compassionate for others, and to realize that we are all different, and come from different places, but if we learn to speak each others languages, it makes it that much easier.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

A boy saw a fish and greeted the fish, but the fish did not reply. "How rude," the boy said. He meets up with a lion and a bee and neither is forthcoming. And then he meets a tree and he's surprised to have the tree greets him. The tree teaches the boy that the fish did not speak Kid and he instructs the boy in how to speak Fish. Suddenly the fish did not seem so rude after all. Things get better when creatures can communicate.

A lovely little parable with moments of humor along with wisdom.

[Shauna Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book with a fantastic message about understanding. The illustrations were fantastic, I love the side eye from the boy, it reminded me of characters in sitcoms that look directly at the cameras.

This is a great book to add to your collection and will spark conversations about languages, miscommunication, understanding, and compromise.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Emilee (emileereadsbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Kids, Sourcebooks Explore for a free digital copy.

A funny book about communication and learning to look at the perspective of others and not just yourself.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about learning each other's languages instead of expecting everyone to learn ours.

The languages mentioned are kid, bee, fish, lion, and tree.

[oohlalabooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not enjoy the harsh tone just a few pages in, this is not for me. Thank you to Sourcebooks

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Do You Speak Fish to my eight year old and he was immediately drawn to the illustrations. He thought they were hilarious. He thought the boy had a funny look, he thought the bee's angry face was funny, and he thought that the tree's faces were funny as well.

This was a great story about meeting people where they are when it comes to communication. I loved the message that it's not about what how you speak but you should try to learn how the other person speaks. That could be communication styles or languages.

One tiny critique I have is that the place setting could have been more cohesive. It looks like he was in the African Savanna at one point and then in the English Countryside at another. I don't know if that was on purpose because the languages would be so different but it seems like it would have made a little more sense if the story took place in one location. Then different animals from that one location would interact with the little boy.

But all in all this was an enjoyable read.
My eight-year-old gave this a 10 out of 10 and again his favorite thing about the book was the illustrations and mine was the message.

Thank you Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Aolund · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Black boy tries to talk to a fish, a lion, and a bee, but gets angry when none of them respond to him. Finally, a tree tells him that of course they can't respond to him—they don't speak Kid. So the kid learns to speak Fish and also makes inroads with the lion and bee as well.

While I appreciated the message of this book, I kind of just wish the message had been shared through a story about different human languages and cultures, instead of this convoluted allegory about speaking "Kid," "Fish," etc., as this felt like it took me further away from the message that just because you don't understand someone or they don't understand you it doesn't mean they're stupid, unfriendly, or don't want to communicate with you. It's a goofy book and kids will probably enjoy it, and there could certainly be useful discussion that comes out of it. White author and illustrator.

Themes: Communication
Age range: Preschool-Kindergarten

[whatbooknext · Rating 5 out of 5]

A boy waves and says ‘Hello’ to a fish. When it ignores him the boy thinks,

“How rude!”

Down the road, the same thing happens with a lion, and this time the boy loses his temper. The lion’s response has him running for his life!

Then again it happens, and again the boy is under attack! He doesn’t understand. He’s being friendly and polite, so why won’t the animals be the same?

A wise old tree has the answer. How many different languages does the boy speak besides his own?

Maybe he should think about it from the point of view of the creatures he spoke to that morning?

A story about communication and understanding, the resulting friendships are heartening. If only we could take more time in understanding others, there may be less conflict in the world.

Keep reading right to the end pages, for an extra laugh with a lion.

Author – D J Corchin

Illustrator – Dan Dougherty

Picture Book

[Jen Fier · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I closed DO YOU SPEAK FISH? book I said “Yes! This book is needed.”

A boy greets a fish. The fish does not reply, and the boy thinks the fish is rude. Similar exchanges happen with a lion and a bee, and the boy becomes increasingly frustrated, which leads to some big reactions. Then a tree greets the boy (he learned how to speak Kid from a frog,) and the boy begins to consider the other animals’ perspectives.

This book covers language, communication and understanding. It encourages readers to decenter their own culture to learn from and connect with others. The large illustrations feature facial expressions which further emphasize nonverbal communication and make this perfect for a classroom read aloud. It has a folk feel but is also fresh, fun, and funny (See the hysterical lion). We'll be reading it again and again.

[Bailey Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do You Speak Fish?: A Story About Communicating And Understanding is a thought-provoking, funny, unique, expressive, witty, and important read! I love the way this book addresses language barriers, assumptions, and the world revolves around me complex. This lovely story challenges the reader consider someone else's perspective and experiences. A young boy goes around saying hello to various animals. He becomes increasingly upset when they do not respond .........how can they be so rude?! It isn't until a wise tree has life altering conversation with them that he realizes maybe they weren't so rude afterall. This book beautifully goes on to demonstrate the hardwork, patience, and occasional overcoming of embarrassing moments which goes into communicating with others.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from SOURCEBOOKS Kids through NetGalley.
Corchin uses a child and several animals to help readers understand how to communicate with others. Sometimes we don't all speak the same language. The boy learns this when he tries to speak to a fish, a lion, and a bee. A tree then speaks to him and explains the book's point. Each of the beings learns other languages so they can spend time together. The illustrations enhance the point and let readers join the fun. Moments of humor also pull readers in.
Great book for class or family discussion on acceptance and being welcoming.

[Novel Obsession · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit that when we began reading DJ Corchin's Do You Speak Fish?, I didn't care for the book. The main character is rude and rather selfish. However, as the book progressed, it turned itself around, sharing a lovely narrative of learning about those who are different and working to communicate with others in their own way. I still won't say that this is one of our favorites, but I was pleased with the message provided in the book. This would be good for early elementary classrooms.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was provided by the publisher. Originally posted at Novel Obsession.

[Mar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for this review.

I greatly enjoyed DJ Corchin's Do You Speak Fish? In essence it is a story about communication and expanding your world by finding common ground.
It was well executed. The illustrations are fun, the text matches the pictures and the language is appropriate for the target audience. For early elementary educators I see an opportunity for many open ended discussions, and I will be sure to add the title to my library.

[Kristine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to SourceBooks for an Early Reads e-copy of this book to review. This is a really great story about communicating between languages - and that a willingness to learn someone else's language (whether a different country's language or a communication style) is the most important step in connecting. I would say this is presented really well, in the sense of it clearly stating the point like, "why would a Fish Speak Kid, do you speak Fish?" but the 5-year-old kid I read with thought this was more just silly LOL funny rather than taking the point home. Maybe it is sinking in though!

[Cynthia June Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

A boy thinks the fish is rude because fish doesn't answer when he says hello.
The lion doesn't answer either. Or the bee.
The tree teaches him that he has to learn to speak their language; the tree teaches him Fish-language.
The fish teaches the bee kid-language.
They learn each others' languages, become friends, and tell stories.
"their world got a whole lot bigger."
Art looks computer-generated/computer-enhanced, but is bright and friendly.
Front cover describes book as "A story about communication and understanding."