Memoirs of a Goldfish

But time away from his new companions gives him a chance to rethink the pros and cons of a solitary life. And discover what he's been missing. Devin Scillian is an award-winning author and Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist. He has written more than 10 books with Sleeping Bear Press, including the bestselling A is for America: An American Alphabet and Brewster the Rooster. He has illustrated more than 25 children's books, garnering such awards as the Chicago Public Library's "Best of the Best" list. He also illustrated the widely popular First Dog. This will allow the students to think about the story.

This book is great for grade level Pre-K to 5. Feb 16, Henna Patel rated it liked it Shelves: Memoirs of a Goldfish By Devin Scillian. This is a very nice picture book that begins with a goldfish swimming in his bowl. After four days the goldfish starts to receive company. Days go by and he eventually ends up in a very crowded bowl. He has no room to swim and he becomes very upset. Eventually one day he is put into a separate but smaller bowl.

At first the goldfish is okay with it because he got his space to swim again. Later he starts to think about everyone in the previous bow Summary: Later he starts to think about everyone in the previous bowl and wonders if they miss him too.

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Finally he gets to be part of his family in a big tank where there is enough room for everyone and he meets another goldfish who enjoys swimming with. The illustrations are beautiful and truly show the emotions that the goldfish is feeling throughout the book. This book has very colorful images that go along with the story very well. The pages vary from short sentences to paragraphs.

This story made me feel sad at first and happy in the end. The goldfish is adjusting with whoever or whatever is being put into his bowl. He shows his sadness and how he is helpless to do anything about it. Eventually he gets fed up and wants his own space. I can understand how he feels because sometimes I feel like my space is being invaded and I cannot be rude to anyone so I just deal with it. The expressions on the goldfish's face were quite strong in revealing his sad emotions.

Through this site I found an activity that gives students worksheets that show facial expressions of the fish on each day. Students are asked to guess what the fish is feeling on that day. The activity has a second part in which students will explain the moral of the story. That part is appropriate if students have been exposed to the meaning of morals.

I think this is a wonderful lesson plan that can be used to teach students how the moods of the character change according to different situations that the goldfish goes through. The interest level is PreK. Therefore this book is appropriate to read aloud to children who are in preK.

Sep 16, Samantha DuPree rated it liked it Shelves: The story starts on day one with the goldfish swimming around his fish bowl and continuing swimming till day four. On this day, a bubble submarine suit appears that the fish names Mr.

On day six and seven, the fish gets a bunch of plants and even a snail named Mervin that disgusts the fish because he eats slime off the bowl. On day ten, the fish is becoming stressed as he finds out the guppies are expecting babies and the fish has to navigate around the crowded bowl.

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On day eleven the fish sees his reflection and he looks nothing like his old self. On day twelve, the fish finally explodes and says he wants his bowl back. So come day thirteen, the fish is placed in a new, smaller bowl all to himself. But he realizes quickly that he is worried about everyone from his old bowl and he begins to miss them all. Then on day fourteen, the fish is placed in a bigger tank with all his old friends in it.

He is so happy to be back and also realizes that his reflection was a girl goldfish that he invites to come swim around the tank with him. This book is intended for younger audiences due to the simplicity in words and bright, colorful pictures on the pages. I loved this book because of its sense of humor. I also like the moral to the story, where the goldfish realizes that he misses all his new acquaintances and they become a sort of family to the fish. Memoirs of a goldfish. Apr 09, Erin Dixon rated it it was amazing Shelves: Memoirs of a Goldfish by Devin Scillian is a about the life of a goldfish, whose tank is being taken over by several different animals.

Written from the fish's point of view, children will love the humor and the things that the fish says as he becomes more and more annoyed by his tank mates. Memoirs of a Goldfish would be classified as fantasy if picture books were to go under certain genres because the main character is a talking fish. The setting is a fishbowl, and the different characters are all developed perfectly. Each character has his or her own unique personality, and the characters really help to explain the story better. The plot revolves around the goldfish whose tank has been invaded by all different kinds of plants and decorations and other animals, and the conflict is that the bowl is not big enough for everything and the goldfish is incredibly annoyed.

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• Memoirs of a Goldfish by Devin Scillian | Scholastic.

The theme is friendship, because by the end of the story the goldfish has realized that he needs his new bowl mates because he is lonely without them. Scillian was most likely thinking about readers who like their own space when he was writing this book. The point of view is first person with the goldfish as the narrator, and Scillian uses voice in order to help the goldfish's character come to life.

This was the cutest book that I have ever read. I thought it was so funny and even teared up a little at the ending because it is just too cute. I would definitely read this to my class because it will show them that sometimes you need your personal space, but in the end everyone, even fish, get lonely and need friends. Sep 12, Gabby rated it it was amazing Shelves: This book is adorable.

It is written as diary entries of Goldfish, who loves swimming alone in his bowl, once, maybe twice a day. Then one day, his bowl gets company, and from that day on, his bowl gets more crowded. It is way too crowded and some fish just do not get along with each other. Then all the other fish and crab This book is adorable. Then all the other fish and crab and snail leave, and Goldfish is lonely.

Who will clean the gunk off the side of the bowl? Goldfish is then moved to a bigger tank and everyone is reunited, along with a new addition of a girl goldfish, Gracie, who Goldfish plans on swimming around the tank with. I think this book would be very appealing to early readers because a goldfish is a common first pet, so students would be able to relate to the story and connect with the goldfish.

The pictures were very appealing and the writing was a larger size for easy visibility. This book could be used to teach about different families and how not everyone in a family is necessarily related. After reading this story, students could create their own story about a pet being put into a new environment or describe how they feel about moving, changing schools, etc. Jun 06, Michaela added it Shelves: I will prompt the students with a question they can think about quietly.

Or felt like your house was packed with people and all you wanted was some alone time? Have you ever been so irritated with the people around you because you had no personal space? Think of a time when you have felt like this. Now turn to your table par Audience: Now turn to your table partners or shoulder partner and share with the group a time when you have felt like this.

Be sure to include how it made you feel and how you handled those feelings or that situation. Share with the group a time when you have felt like this. After we have read the story we will have a group discussion on how Goldfish felt when more and more fish and things started joining him in his bowl. How did he handle his feelings?

Memoirs of a Goldfish

What happened when the bowl got too crowded? How did Goldfish feel when he was all alone again? How does Goldfish's story relate to your story? Even though we may be irritated, annoyed, or mad at our families we still love them and wouldn't want them to leave us. It's nice to have people around that care about one another. Apr 16, Kimber Carnahan rated it it was amazing Shelves: Goldfish is very content by spending his days swimming around in his bowl.

As Goldfish tells us of his adventures he has every day such as swimming around his bowl the first day, and swimming around twice the second day the reader gets a good laugh at his simple life. Things aren't so simple once Goldfish begins to gain some company - first Mr. Bubbles, then Mervin, Fred, and all the others. Goldfish does NOT like sharing his bowl with everyone! He finally gets his wish to be all alone again, Goldfish is very content by spending his days swimming around in his bowl.

He finally gets his wish to be all alone again, but he discovers it's not all it's cracked up to be - especially once he sees how the others are becoming his family. Devin Scillian brings an adorable and funny story to life in Memoirs of a Goldfish. This was an excellent book! It expanded awareness and was original by letting the reader into the life of a goldfish who has his world turned upside down. It's a great read that makes you laugh and want more and it doesn't teach or moralize, other than showing that it's not that bad when there are others with you in your "family.

As a future teacher, I would place this book in my library as an enjoyable read for kids. It's not very long, and the story is great to use for a unit if you wanted. The students could change the ending, or draw pictures of their own fishbowls to make it fun. Dec 16, Jenni Arndt rated it it was amazing Shelves: Memoirs of a Goldfish was such a funny and heartwarming read! It's written as a daily account of Mr. The illustrations are very adorable; the big, bug eyes on the fish and the wispy, lifelike plants were perfect.

As the bowl gets filled up we even zoom in on Memoirs of a Goldfish was such a funny and heartwarming read! As the bowl gets filled up we even zoom in on the tank and it definitely lends to a claustrophobic feeling. Not only do we zoom in but the pages also get way more colourful and cheery. Once Goldfish is taken out of his tank for a cleaning the canvas is once again very white and colourless. I loved how well the illustrations conveyed the emotions of the writing, they were spot on in every possible way.

Memoirs of a Goldfish - Sleeping Bear Press

I also loved the revelation Goldfish had in the end of the story when he was left alone in the silence. Day Two I swam around my bowl. And so it goes in this tell-all tale from a goldfish. With his bowl to himself and his simple routine, Goldfish loves his life.. When assorted intruders including a hyperactive bubbler, a grime-eating snail, a pair of amorous guppies, and a really crabby crab invade his personal space and bowl, Goldfish is put out, to say the least. He wants none of it, preferring his former peace and quiet and solitude. But time away from his new companions gives him a chance to rethink the pros and cons of a solitary life.

And discover what he's been missing. Devin Scillian is an award-winning author and Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist. He has written more than 10 books with Sleeping Bear Press, including the bestselling A is for America: An American Alphabet and Brewster the Rooster.