CONTENT:
Fish (2020) was written and illustrated by Brendan Kearney. The picturebook tells the story of Finn, an old fisherman. One day he goes fishing with his dog but the only thing he can fish is garbage. Finn gathers the garbage from the sea filling up his little boat, then goes back to the shore. At the beach he meets the beach cleaners, a group of children who pick up the garbage along the seashore, so that it doesn’t go back to the water. They explain to Finn the consequences that all these materials have on the marine ecosystems and how it is possible to reduce water pollution. They invite Finn to take action together with them to protect the marine ecosystem. Finn invites other friends to take action and clean the beaches and the sea. The picturebook ends showing to the readers/listeners how human actions can have positive effects on the marine ecosystem.
WHY USING THIS PICTUREBOOK:
This picturebook presents to the children some of the characteristics of a marine eco-systems and the effects that pollution has on them. The story can foster reflection on the importance of taking action against pollution, and the importance of adopting responsible and respectful behaviours preventing pollution. The picturebook introduces some specific terms (e.g., recycling, microplastics., etc.) in a concrete and understandable way, thanks to the aid of illustrations that represent objects and situations in a clear way. The illustrations represent and expand the content of the written text offering the opportunity to engage children in group discussions and share their personal experience and knowledge. The illustrations clearly represent the consequences of human actions. For example, the author dedicates two double spreads to the representation of the same seashore before and after the clean-up.
