About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is navigating the tricky dynamics of playground cliques or struggling with the courage to include someone new. While the original Rainbow Fish focused on sharing, this sequel tackles the social pressure of standing by and watching someone else be excluded. It is a gentle yet clear model for how to move from being a bystander to an upstander. The story follows Rainbow Fish and his friends as they play a game that excludes a small, finless newcomer. When a shark suddenly attacks, the group must decide whether to retreat to safety or risk themselves to save the outsider. It is an ideal choice for preschoolers and early elementary students (ages 3-7) who are beginning to experience peer pressure and the complex feelings of 'belonging' versus 'doing what is right.'
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
1. DISTRESS: There is a moment of mild peril when a shark with sharp teeth lunges at the small fish. The tension is resolved quickly, but the visual of the shark's 'toothy maw' might be briefly startling for very sensitive toddlers. 2. CONVERSATION: Be prepared to discuss the bystander effect and social exclusion. Children may ask why Rainbow Fish didn't speak up immediately or why the group rejected the lonely child based on his appearance. This is a great opening to talk about why it's hard to be the first person to disagree with a group.
Ideal Reader
A first-grader who has witnessed someone being left out at recess and needs a script for how to change the narrative.
Parent Prep
Read cold, but perhaps pause when the shark appears to ask the child what they think Rainbow Fish should do.
Age Experience
3-year-olds will focus on the scary shark and the colorful fish finding their friend. 6-year-olds will understand the social guilt Rainbow Fish feels and the 'clique' behavior.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many 'kindness' books, it acknowledges the social cost of being kind. Rainbow Fish has to overcome his own fear of being rejected by his friends to do the right thing.
Read plot summary
Rainbow Fish and his friends are playing 'Flash-and-Hide' in the reef. A small, striped fish without a shiny scale asks to join, but one fish rudely rejects him because he doesn't fit the group's 'shiny scale' requirement. Rainbow Fish feels uneasy but says nothing to avoid losing his own status. When a shark appears, the school hides in a crevice, leaving the newcomer exposed. Rainbow Fish leads a rescue mission, the group distracts the shark, and they ultimately welcome the new fish into their circle.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Why did the fish with the jagged fins say the little striped fish couldn't play? Was that a fair rule?
2
Rainbow Fish felt bad when the little fish was left alone, but he didn't say anything at first. Why do you think he stayed quiet?
3
How did the group use teamwork to help the little fish escape the shark?
4
At the end, they changed the rules of their game. How did that make the reef a better place for everyone?
