Too Crowded

August 20, 2021
Preschool-Grade 1 Gil the Goldfish is crowded. They live in a fishbowl with a plant, a castle, and 138 pebbles that they polish every single day, and it is simply too much. So, Gil packs a suitcase, puts on their sneakers, and sets out to find a less crowded house. But Bird's house is too noisy and Cat's house is too dangerous. After Turtle accidentally saves Gil's life, they return to the goldfish bowl together, and what was once too crowded is now--with a friend--just right. The artistic style, like the story, is quite simple, with its ample white space and minimal text, but elements like the Bandaid on Gil's bonked nose and the deliberately scribbly colored-pencil detailing on the pebbles are just strange enough to give the tale a quirky uniqueness. There's a bit of early science (birds live in nests, fish need water to breathe, etc.) for little minds interested in exploring nature, and any child who may be put off by the depiction of Gil's near-death experience will be outnumbered by the children who dig Gil's high-tops and fin swagger.

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Starred review from February 15, 2021
A goldfish seeks drier pastures. Gil lives in a round glass bowl with "a plant, a castle, and 138 pebbles to clean every day." But it is "TOO CROWDED!" Gil cries, cradling his snoot after bumping it against the side of his bowl. In a shocking, jubilant twist, Gil slaps a bandage on his nose, shoves his rear fins into some sneakers, and packs a rolling bag, off on a quest to find a new house "that is not too crowded." A bird's nest is roomy, but the bird song is "TOO LOUD!" Cat's house is huge and quiet, but...there's a cat in it. Gil hitches a ride on Turtle's house, but when the spoilsport reptile reminds him that fish "can't breathe air," Gil suddenly realizes that he's suffocating. This plays out in vignettes in dramatic, Wile E. Coyote fashion. Luckily, his human, an overalls-clad Black child with short, curly hair and a bow, comes to the rescue and brings Gil back to his bowl. And when Turtle moves in too, it turns out that a bowl with a plant, a castle, 138 pebbles, and a friend is not too crowded after all. The story is a satisfying balance of familiar and fresh, with an endearing protagonist and an especially timely message about isolation and connection. Utterly delightful. (Picture book. 4-7)

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