Reviewed by Chloe Fuksa, Putnam Six Bookstore
Author: Ryan T. Higgins
We Don’t Lose Our Class Goldfish is the third book in the Penelope Rex series by author and illustrator Ryan T. Higgins. The book was released in late March of this year and is targeted for kids aged 3-5. The first book in the series, We Don’t Eat Our Classmates, is still the most hilarious of the three, but the newest book is pretty great as well.
In Penelope’s kindergarten class, everyone is taking turns having the class goldfish, Walter, home for the weekend. Penelope, who is a dinosaur, is terribly frightened. Walter, after all, has those menacing fins and those unblinking eyes – not to mention the one time he bit Penelope’s finger. When Penelope’s weekend comes, she tries to distract him, but he just keeps staring at her with those eyes. She can’t take it anymore, so before she goes to bed, she puts him on the kitchen table. But the next morning, he isn’t there! As she searches high and low for him, Penelope realizes that she actually misses Walter and that maybe he really isn’t so scary. And if she can face that fear of hers, what other ones can she overcome?
The wonderful thing about Higgins’s books is that they have great messages, yes, but the illustrations are fantastic too. For example, when Penelope approaches Walter, she’s got a pillow tied to her front, oven mitts for her hands, a colander as a helmet, and who knows what for goggles. The whole series make for perfect read-aloud books, with short, simple sentences and plenty of sound effects printed too. If you’ve enjoyed Penelope’s journey thus far, you’ll surely enjoy her latest adventure as well.
Visit us in Sunset Plaza or call 580-297-5089 to get your copy of We Don’t Lose Our Class Goldfish today!
