The Fish Who Could Wish

Underneath a vibrant blue sea (reminiscent of The Little Mermaid 's setting) lives a fish who can wish. Better yet, all of his wishes come true. Among the things that he wants--and gets--are a castle, a flashy sports car, a Spanish guitar and fancy suits. When he wishes that he could ski, it snows for a week, and a snowman wearing a diving mask casts with a fishing pole as the happy hero skis off an underwater ski jump. But one day, the fish inadvertently makes his last wish, when he decides that he wants to be just like all of the other fish in the sea. ``But wishing was something / Other fish could not do. / So that was his very last / wish that came true.'' Although the tale's outcome--and message--may be a bit over the heads of the youngest readers, they will certainly appreciate Bush's bouncy rhymed text and Paul's droll depiction of the fish's wishful life. These surprisingly expressive denizens of the deep possess real pizzazz. Ages 4-8. (Apr.)