Big Al School & Library Binding – September 1, 1997

I read this book religiously with my dad as a child so it holds a special place in my heart. Now that my friends and family have started having babies, I've started gifting this book in hopes that it will create special moments for them. The story itself tells a powerful story on the importance of being a good friend.

Gave this to my 3 year old nephew and am sure he’ll love it- I used it for years as a child therapist. The pictures are beautiful and it’s well written- and the messages about how to figure out how to get along with people is sweet and will hit the mark with any kid but especially boisterous boys

I was very happy with Big Al and my granddaughter loved it.

Love this book - good for working on retell with students. But also a good book with a good message. Came in good quality

Book was in perfect shape, and arrived quickly.

This was a favorite book for my sisters and I growing up. I saw it recently and was reminded of it and decided to buy it for my son. It’s a great story about a lonely fish trying to make friends.

This is a good, in a sense, fable: don't judge a book (or fish) by its cover. Not a masterpiece but a solid "good read" picture book.

This was my favorite book as a young child. It definitely would be good for all children, as it promotes acceptance and appreciation of differences.*Update - August 2020*I purchased this book for the first time over a decade ago for my sister's baby shower and that is what my original review above was for. I was recently invited to a baby shower for my husband's cousin and we were asked to bring a favorite book to get the baby's library started. I purchased another copy of this book for her. Reading it again, I definitely think it is a great book, but it would be a good idea to read it with the child and discuss how the events in the book fit in with the real world. There are some negative reviews on here based on the message of the book and I definitely think the author could have elaborated more at the end to explain that we all have qualities and characteristics that make us good and worthy of friendship and it is okay for us to be different than one another. Although that part isn't really addressed in the book, that is something that a parent or teacher could talk about with the child.

Great

Great book.

I got this to replace a worn out one in my classroom - the children always love this one when I read it - and reread it!

You know, as beautiful as the illustrations were in this book, I have real reservations about the story. It's about a very nice but scary-looking fish who wants to have friends but is feared by all the sea creatures around him. I don't want to spoil the story, but I will say that it sends the wrong message. Those who are considered "different" shouldn't have to prove themselves to gain acceptance. I wish that the ending was different