If I Were a Fish
by Corook (Author) Mike Curato (Illustrator)
From the creators of the viral hit song that is a joyous celebration about making the best of a very bad day comes If I Were a Fish - a gorgeously illustrated picture book explosion of positivity and love guaranteed to make you smile.
From the musicians and viral TikTok creators of If I Were A Fish, Corook and Olivia Barton, comes a delightful picture book adaptation of their silly, happy song. Join Corook and Olivia as they grab a guitar and dive into the comforting world of what it might be like to be a fish instead, and together, they make the best of a bad day.
Humans and fish alike are welcome to sing (or kazoo) along!
How lucky are we?
Of all the fish in the sea
You get to be you!
And I get to be me!
Brightly and beautifully illustrated by the award-winning Mike Curato, this inspiring song about surrounding yourself with the people that make you the happiest is a timely reminder that it's always best to be yourself.
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School Library Journal
K-Gr 2--A song that went viral on TikTok with a jaunty tune and an infectiously joyful performance makes a successful transition to print with help from Curato's bright, lively cartoon views of the two singers amid fish, fish-kazoos, and a thoroughly diverse audience of happy listeners. With one discreet change of wording from the original, (a repeated "Damn, they're cute" becomes "Wow, they're cute") the simply written ditty celebrates togetherness despite differences--whether it be weight, or body shape, or, with oblique inclusivity, just being mismatched like socks, "You get to be you/ and I get to be me." Sharing pages with images of a cell phone and frowning emoticons (and offering a hint about what prompted the song's composition) the refrain does seem to go off on a tangent with complaining references to internet trolls being "so mean" and "afraid of what they've never seen." The sudden switch is disorienting, but a final view of that phone chucked into a fishbowl leaves no doubt about the proper response to online hate, and even younger readers will feel the glow of positivity in the overall message. VERDICT Silly on the surface, serious underneath--but to make its point most clearly, it should be sung out to, or with, young audiences.--John Edward Peters
Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
Teachers and Fans Praise If I Were a Fish!
"This song can cure world sadness, I'm sure of it." "It's become my classroom anthem." "If happiness and comfort was a song." -From Today Parentscorook aka Corinne Savage is a singer, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist and a huge dork. Their music is filled with vulnerability and sprinkled with humor. They are a graduate of Berklee College of Music and reside in Nashville Tennessee.
Olivia Barton a singer/songwriter who writes songs that sound like stream-of-consciousness journal entries-- because they are. She has released multiple albums and tours regularly. She is a graduate of Berklee College of Music and lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her partner and her dog Cubby.
Mike Curato is the author and illustrator of the Little Elliot series and Where is Bina Bear?, and has illustrated a number of other books for children including What Are You? and Worm Loves Worm. He lives in Northampton, MA.
JUV039230 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Bullying
Self-confidence
Picture books
Stories in rhyme
Social acceptance
