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Screenwise Verdict
This is the grief book you want on your shelf before you need it, because when you need it, you really need it.
Todd Parr doesn't try to make death less scary by avoiding it—he walks right into the hard stuff with his signature bold colors and simple words. The fish-in-a-bowl metaphor is perfect: concrete enough for a 3-year-old to grasp, gentle enough not to overwhelm, honest enough to actually help.
What makes this work is that it validates every feeling without trying to rush to the 'it gets better' part. Kids learn that confusion and anger and sadness are all normal, and that not knowing what to feel is okay too. The reassurance that someone will be there to love and hold you is the throughline that matters.
It's not a book you'll read every week, but it's one you'll be grateful to have when a goldfish dies, a grandparent passes, or a family pet goes to sleep for the last time. Keep it handy.
Age Fit
Best for ages 3-8, especially when a family is navigating loss of a pet, grandparent, or other loved one. The simple text and visual metaphor work for preschoolers, while the emotional depth resonates through early elementary. Useful for kids with additional needs who benefit from concrete, visual explanations.
WISE Breakdown
Wholesome
92
Todd Parr's signature gentle approach validates all the messy emotions that come with loss—confusion, sadness, anger—without sugarcoating or overwhelming. The fish-in-a-bowl metaphor keeps things accessible for young kids while modeling emotional honesty and the importance of having someone to hold you through hard times. Warm, inclusive, and emotionally grounded.
Imaginative
68
Parr's bold, colorful illustrations are distinctive and engaging, but this is primarily a therapeutic tool rather than an imaginative adventure. The fish metaphor is clever and kid-friendly, making abstract grief concepts concrete. It invites conversation more than creative play, which is exactly what it's designed to do.
Safe
88
This is a book explicitly about death and loss, so parents know exactly what they're getting. No surprise trauma, no graphic imagery—just honest emotional content delivered in Todd Parr's characteristically soft, accessible style. The fish companion dying is gentle and age-appropriate. The only reason it's not higher is that grief itself is inherently difficult content, even when handled beautifully.
Enriching
91
An essential resource for one of childhood's hardest moments. Builds emotional literacy by naming and normalizing the full spectrum of grief responses. Teaches kids it's okay not to have all the answers and that support will be there. School Library Journal called it 'essential' for early childhood collections. Amazon rating of 4.8 reflects its real-world impact with families navigating loss.
Parent Info
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Why It Might Be Great
Validates the full range of grief emotions—sadness, confusion, anger—without trying to fix or rush through them
Uses a fish losing its companion as a gentle metaphor that makes abstract concepts concrete for young kids
Todd Parr's bold, inclusive illustrations feel safe and familiar to kids who know his other books
School Library Journal calls it 'essential' for early childhood collections; therapists and educators consistently recommend it
Reassures kids that someone will always be there to support them, even when everything feels uncertain
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What to Watch For
This is explicitly about death and grief—it's a tool for when you need it, not casual bedtime reading
Some kids may have questions about their own losses or start processing emotions they've been holding
Best used as part of ongoing conversations about loss, not as a one-time read and done
Conversation Starters
"What do you think the fish is feeling when his friend is gone? Have you ever felt like that?"
"The book says it's okay not to know all the answers. What questions do you have about when people or pets die?"
"Who are the people in your life who hold you tight when things are hard?"
"What are some ways you like to remember people or pets who aren't with us anymore?"
