Tropical Terry

by Jarvis, Jarvis (Illustrator)

Overview

From author-illustrator Jarvis comes a buoyant underwater tale about a little blue fish who learns that being dazzling isn’t what makes you special.

Coral Reef City is home to the most brilliant tropical fish in the ocean. Sparkling and multicolored, they swim around and around, showing off. And then there’s Terry. Small, blue, and ordinary, Terry spends his days playing hiding games with his friends and wishing the tropical fish would play with him, too. So with the help of his friends, Terry fashions a flashy, dazzling costume and transforms into Tropical Terry. But life as the center of attention isn’t quite everything Terry dreamed it would be — especially once Eddie the Eel shows up, hungry for dinner. In a bright, cheerful story, Jarvis uses his vibrant art and heartwarming wit to prove that sometimes the things you thought made you unremarkable are actually the most special qualities of all.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781536205466
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	05/14/2019
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	11.10(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	2 - 5 Years

About the Author

Jarvis is an illustrator and animator who has worked as both a record jacket designer and an animation director. He is the author-illustrator of Alan’s Big, Scary Teeth and Mrs. Mole, I’m Home! and the illustrator of Pick a Pine Tree, and Pick a Pumpkin by Patricia Toht and Poles Apart by Jeanne Willis.

Editorial Reviews

Reminiscent of Leo Lionni's Swimmy, Terry's wit and fortitude provide guidance for all his friends, who conceal and disguise themselves within the coral to shrewdly outsmart the hungry eel. Themes of individuality and self-esteem along with the importance of using inherent assets to thrive subtly come through in this aquatic fable. A pleasing fish story.
—Kirkus Reviews

An excellent read aloud and a wonderful pick for those looking for a Rainbow Fish alternative.
—Travis Jonker, author of The Very Last Castle

From the Publisher

06/07/2019

PreS-Gr 1-Terry is a plain, small fish, which makes him an outlier in Coral Reef City. He lives with his friends Cilla the crab and Steve the snail, but he has ambitions of swimming with the school of fancy fish. He gathers up seaweed and colorful odds and ends, using them to become Tropical Terry, one of the most fabulous fish in all the ocean. However, when Eddie the Eel arrives looking for a snack, with the help of his friends, Terry learns that being small and plain has its advantages. Soon all the other tropical fish want to play his favorite game "hide-a-fish." The illustrations use bright, saturated colors, in pencil and chalk with digital modifications. The deep, tonal blues of the ocean take up the full page, with texture and depth befitting of a coral reef. There is a visually interesting cast of characters and the layers of color add dynamic movement to the page. The richness of the illustrations lends itself to the climax of the story, when Terry must shake off his adornments to hide amid the coral and seaweed. VERDICT A humorous tale with vibrant illustrations for early elementary readers, on the virtues of being oneself.-Kelly Topita, Anne Arundel County Public Library, MD

School Library Journal

2019-03-17
Terry, a small, plain-blue fish, lives in a coral reef and wishes to be welcomed into the crowd of beautiful, colorful tropical fish.

His humdrum, monochromatic hue allows him to blend in with the sea environment, but he does not appreciate the advantages conferred by this camouflage. Though best friends Cilla the crab and Steve the sea snail play with him constantly, Terry wants only to be noticed and valued as a spectacular tropical fish. Terry crafts a fancy, vibrantly decorated tail and fins from bits and pieces he collects using sticky seaweed to dazzle his fellow fish. Now all the tropical fish want to play and accept him in their group until Eddie, a very large and hungry eel, turns up looking for dinner. The peril of being caught and eaten makes Terry realize that he must shed his flamboyant duds and use his innate ability to hide and protect himself. Luminous, vivacious underwater scenes done with pencil, chalk, and paint and digitally colored in predominantly blue and aqua backgrounds host an array of rainbow-colored sea creatures. Reminiscent of Leo Lionni's Swimmy, Terry's wit and fortitude provide guidance for all his friends, who conceal and disguise themselves within the coral to shrewdly outsmart the hungry eel. Themes of individuality and self-esteem along with the importance of using inherent assets to thrive subtly come through in this aquatic fable.

A pleasing fish story. (Picture book. 3-5)

Kirkus Reviews