The Not Very Merry Pout-Pout Fish

Holiday shopping can get anyone down, and “a certain gloomy fish” like Mr. Fish is especially vulnerable to retail fatigue. Mr. Fish has several gifts to buy and little time; racing from store to store, he either can’t find the right gift or arrives too late to purchase what he wants. Diesen’s earnest rhymes keep the story moving briskly, though a recurring refrain (“For a gift should be big,/ And a gift should be bright./ And a gift should be perfect—/ Guaranteed to bring delight”) has the opposite effect. Hanna’s illustrations are as expressive as in the previous books, and he doesn’t miss a chance to sneak some humor into the pages, whether it’s the homemade gifts Mr. Fish eventually assembles (such as a knit cap that octopus Mr. Eight wears like a tea cozy) or a closing appearance by Manta Claus himself. Ages 2–6. (Sept.)