Fish Out of Water
Author: Joanne Levy
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Twelve-year-old Fishel (Fish) Rosner doesn’t like regular “boy” things. He hates sports and would prefer to read or do crafts instead of climbing trees or riding dirt bikes with his friends. He also loves to dance. But all his interests are considered “girly.” Fish doesn’t get why that’s a bad thing. He’s just interested in different things than other boys. When he asks his Bubby to teach him to knit, she tells him to go play outside. When he begs his mom to take him to Zumba, she enrolls him in water polo instead. Why does everyone else get to decide what Fish should or shouldn’t do?
Beautifully written and poignant, this tackles an important topic (gender conformity) without ever touching on gender identity or sexual preference. Fish’s voice and the dialogue are great, perfectly authentic for the age group (preteens).
“Excited for your first water-polo lesson?” Mom asked…
“Sure,” I said. Which was code for “not even a little.”
Not that she understood code. Obviously.
Fish’s growing assertiveness, his courage to face up to friends and family who are un-accepting of his nontraditional choices, is well expressed. It felt good. They weren’t making fun of me for wanting to knit. I was being myself. And they liked me anyway. Or maybe they liked me because I was myself. Too bad my old friends couldn’t. But that was their loss.
Only trouble is, his coming around to standing up for himself, and the other characters’ willingness to back off their initial opposition, comes rather speedily and easily. Unrealistically so, even for a middle-grade book.
With one short speech from Fish, his grandfather suddenly stops watching TV sports, takes up knitting alongside him to support him, and sticks up for him to others. Seriously?
His mother, after one Fish meltdown, totally comes around and gives her partner a talking-to that converts him (again, instantly) to being supportive too. Ditto with grandma and eventually, his school friends.
The rabbi instantly “gets” Fish’s pain and offers a rousing speech about how kids who call him “girly” are insulting female-kind. Not to mention the female friend who, inspired by one courageous incident of Fish standing up for himself, gives a sizzling speech to his bullying guy ex-friends, prompting them to see the light and toe the line.
Yeah, and then there’s the real world.
But it’s a well written story with potential to make would-be bullies think twice, fish-out-of-water kids feel supported and braver, and those in between pause for thought. An important topic well illuminated. And a great cover.
- PW