In a market overflowing with nature books for children – many earnest, many educational, and many interchangeable – Don’t Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson makes a sharp, hilarious left turn. What begins like a traditional field-guide introduction to the animal kingdom quickly unravels into one of the most delightfully absurd picture-book experiences of the year. With deadpan wit from Sharpson and brilliantly mischievous illustrations from Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat, this book earns its place not just on recommended reading lists but in the pantheon of picture books that both children and adults will want to reread again and again.

The premise is simple, yet genius: our narrator calmly explains mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians using the standard rules we all know from school. But when the book reaches fish, those rules suddenly stop working – because fish, according to the narrator, “don’t follow any rules at all.” From here, readers are pulled into a playful, escalating conspiracy in which fish are presented not as graceful, gliding creatures but as cunning, suspicious, slippery beings who may very well be plotting something beneath the surface.

Sharpson’s writing shines in its pitch-perfect delivery. The humor is dry, straight-faced, and wonderfully exaggerated, pairing kernels of real fish biology with wildly creative leaps of imagination. Children will giggle at the idea of fish holding secret underwater meetings or disguising themselves to avoid detection. Adults will appreciate the parody threaded through the narrative, poking fun at paranoia, fear of the unknown, and the human tendency to project wild theories onto the natural world.

Santat’s illustrations are the ideal partner to Sharpson’s text. At first, Santat offers scientifically styled, almost textbook-realistic diagrams. But as the narrator grows increasingly distrustful, the visual narrative shifts: shadows deepen, fish develop shifty eyes, and scenes become dynamic, cinematic, and deliciously over-the-top. Santat’s ability to move between stylistic modes – straightforward, humorous, and atmospheric – adds layers of sophistication to the reading experience.

What elevates Don’t Trust Fish beyond a simple comedic romp is its underlying message. Beneath the silliness is a subtle reminder to question assumptions, to separate fact from imagination, and to recognize when fear has overtaken reason. There is even an unexpected twist near the end that reframes the entire narrative through a new, tender perspective – one that children will find surprising, and adults will find quietly profound.

Ultimately, Don’t Trust Fish is not truly about distrusting fish at all. It’s about curiosity, perspective, and the wonderfully strange way children make sense of the world. Clever, fresh, and beautifully illustrated, it’s a standout picture book that invites laughter, conversation, and a second look at the creatures swimming just out of sight.

Just the Facts

Don’t Trust Fish
Written by Neil Sharpson and Illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat
Penguin Random House Canada
Ages 3-7