The Strangest Fish - by Katherine Arden (Hardcover)

About the Book

"After winning a fish in a carnival game, Daisy loves and cares for it unconditionally...even when it begins to grow into something totally unexpected"--

Book Synopsis

Hicklebee's Picture Book of the Year 2024
A Kids Indie Next List Pick - American Booksellers Association

In this bewitching picture book debut from bestselling fantasy author Katherine Arden, a girl wins an odd-looking goldfish at a county fair that ends up being secretly magical.

When Daisy wins a funny-looking goldfish at a fair, she ignores the mean comments about its appearance. She doesn't mind the dull scales and lumpy head--in fact, she thinks her goldfish is the prettiest thing in the world. However, as Daisy continues caring for the goldfish, something strange starts happening to it . . .

With lyrical writing and stunning illustrations, this enchanting story about a girl and her goldfish reveals--with a touch of magic-- the transformative power of unconditional love and care.

Review Quotes

A Bank Street Best Book 2025
2025 Kansas NEA Reading Circle List

★ "Arden's lyrical, conversational text emphasizes the strong bond between Daisy and her new pet despite their limited time together; she makes clear that caring for another living being can alter us forever. With thick brushstrokes and a cool palette dominated by blues and browns, Marwan's stunning pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations capture this unconditional nurturing bond, the concept of metamorphosis, and the transformative nature of autumn...A deeply empathetic look at the magic of love and compassion." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Fantastical and beautiful. The Strangest Fish is an excellent book about friendship. Daisy wins October, the strangest fish, at the fair and tries her best to take care of them. A book you will want to read over and over."--Michelle Weiler, Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh, NC

"Digitally finished pen, ink, and watercolor spreads by Marwan...have a dreamy, Kandinsky-esque feel, with bright reds fading into pinks and greens, lavenders and mauves...Daisy is faithful to her unprepossessing prize, and Arden...fittingly rewards this loyalty throughout an unexpected series of events that focuses on bonds and transformations established through tending." --Publishers Weekly

"In Arden's lyrical picture book debut, Marwan's blending of watercolors captures the cozy autumn fair ambiance and the unwavering bond between a girl and her new pet...The double-page spreads of the lake foreshadow the mystery behind October, as Daisy--and young readers--are in for a big surprise in this compassionate read about the power of imagination and finding the magic of friendships in their everyday lives." -Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"This debut picture book from popular novelist Arden incants a spell of weird individuality and wonder... Both Arden's text and Marwan's whimsical watercolors intrigue." --Booklist

About the Author

Katherine Arden is the NYT-bestselling author of the Winternight Trilogy
and the middle-grade series Small Spaces. She won the 2020 Vermont Golden Dome Book Award and was a finalist for the 2020 Hugo Award for Best Series. She graduated from Middlebury College in 2011, where she obtained her degree in Russian and French.

Zahra Marwan is a children's book author-illustrator and the 2022 recipient of the Dilys Evans Founder's Award. Her first picture book, Where Butterflies Fill the Sky, was named one of NPR's Best Books of 2022 and a NYT Best Illustrated Children's Book. Originally from Kuwait, Zahra now lives in New Mexico.