A Friend for Eddy

by Ann Kim Ha, Ann Kim Ha (Illustrator)

Overview

When Eddy the goldfish takes a leap of faith to be closer to his new friends, his perspective of the world widens in unexpected ways. A funny story about building empathy and making connections, for fans of LeUyen Pham, Dan Santat, Laura Vaccaro Seeger, and Michael Hall.

Eddy is a lonely goldfish stuck inside his fishbowl. He would love to have a friend to swim and play and blow bubbles with. Soon, on the other side of the glass, he spies not one but two new friends. After days of playing games together, Eddy leaps out of his bowl to be closer to them. And that’s when he realizes that his two friends are really the inquisitive eyes of A CAT! Oh, no! Luckily for Eddy, friendship can be found in unexpected places.

A Friend for Eddy is funny and suspenseful, and observant readers will delight in seeing Eddy’s mistake before he does. Ann Kim Ha’s clever, bold illustrations will hold the attention of the youngest children, making A Friend for Eddy a wonderful choice for bedtime and story-time sharing.  

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063315464
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/12/2024
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	440,224
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Ann Kim Ha holds a bachelor of design in architecture from the University of Florida and a master of architecture from the Harvard School of Design and is a founding principal of Behin Ha Design Studio, a design practice specializing in public art installations. She regularly employs techniques of digital collage to tell stories about the built environment and applies those techniques to creating her picture books. Ann Kim Ha lives with her family in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Ann Kim Ha holds a bachelor of design in architecture from the University of Florida and a master of architecture from the Harvard School of Design and is a founding principal of Behin Ha Design Studio, a design practice specializing in public art installations. She regularly employs techniques of digital collage to tell stories about the built environment and applies those techniques to creating her picture books. Ann Kim Ha lives with her family in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Editorial Reviews

2023-12-06
A lonely goldfish wants a friend, but there are complications.

One day Eddy hears tapping on his bowl and spots something bright yellow—another goldfish? He asks it if it wants to play, and it nods, and a game of tag begins. The next day, two yellow fish are ready to join the fun. More than anything, Eddy wants to be outside his bowl with his friends. He gathers his courage, swims in ever faster circles, and launches himself out of his bowl. After a moment of joy, he lands with a thud, unable to breathe, swim, or blow bubbles. Will his new friends rescue him from disaster? This is the tale set forth in the text, but the visuals tell a deeper, more subtle story that depends on readers’ sharp eyes and understanding. The simple setting depicts a table and a bowl against a shining blue background, but children will notice that beyond Eddy’s bowl is a black shape that appears to be the top of a cat’s head, soon followed by the cat’s face. Those “fish” are actually the black cat’s bright yellow eyes. Will that mean doom for Eddy, or will his sweet innocence and joy in his friendship lead to a hoped-for happy conclusion? This clever and inspired story will hold readers’ attention and have little ones begging for rereads.

A tender tale of an unusual friendship, with just a touch of mystery. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews