Where's the Starfish? by Barroux

Where's the Starfish? by Barroux
Buy Where's the Starfish? by Barroux at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: For Sharing
Reviewer: Sue Magee
Summary: An important book for children and adults as we watch the rubbish that accumulates in the sea push out the fish and mammals. Recommended.
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 32	Date: April 2016
Publisher: Egmont
ISBN: 978-1405280082
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There's a whale. A large whale. And there's a lot of fish. A lot of fish. They're there in every shape and size you can imagine and in amongst them are the Starfish, the Jellyfish and the Clownfish. On the first page it's actually quite difficult to find those three in amongst all the others, but if you persist you will find them. It will still be quite difficult on the following page, but there's a little something creeping in that's not quite so pleasant. There's an empty plastic bottle and an old tin can. Actually, the fish are quite interested. It's a little easier to spot our three fish on the next page, because there isn't quite so much space. The rubbish has grown, you see.

And it continues to grow. There's bits of cars, lots of plastic, an old fridge freezer and there are a couple of washing machines which look to be of the same model. I think we should be told what it is so that we can avoid it! All the while it's actually getting easier to spot our fish. There aren't so many of the other fish about. Well, it's not going to be very pleasant around all that old gunk, is it? Old televisions, microwave ovens and tyres increase the size of the rubbish mountain.

Eventually, whale has had enough and he takes his revenge. I'm not going to tell you how - you'll have to read the book to find out, but he made me laugh and raise a cheer. It's an elegant lesson on exactly what we are doing to our planet, with our attitudes of carelessly discarding what can be replaced with little thought other than about the money we'll need to spend.

I'm a great fan of Barroux and I loved Where's the Elephant?. As a reviewer I receive far too many books to keep them all, but Where's Elephant? sits in the bookcase to be read by visiting children (and quite a few of the adults!) As I read Where's the Starfish? I couldn't help but think of Elephant and his friends, because the location might be different, but the principle is exactly the same: in Where's the Elephant? we were covering the animals' territory with buildings - in Where's the Starfish? we're filling the sea with rubbish.

Who am I to complain when an author repeats a winning formula, particularly when the message is so valid in both cases? I wasn't the only person who thought that Elephant was brilliant. I could even suggest other topics, such as global warming or rubbish in space, but what did annoy me was what was written on the back cover of each book. Here's what it says on the back of Where's the Elephant?:

A simple game of hide-and-seek quickly turns into something more significant in this unique book.

That's fair enough. I agree. But here's what it says on the back of Where's the Starfish?:

A simple game of hide-and-seek quickly turns into something more significant in this unique book.

I'll let you draw your own conclusions, but I would like to thank the publishers for sending a copy of the books to the Bookbag.

Do have a look at Where's the Elephant? - despite my moaning, both books are important. You might also enjoy Hot Air by Sandrine Dumas Roy.

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You can read more book reviews or buy Where's the Starfish? by Barroux at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Where's the Starfish? by Barroux at Amazon.com.

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