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With more than 30 million copies sold worldwide, most of us have either had this classic children’s book read to us when we were young, or read it to our own children. But now teachers are lashing out at The Rainbow Fish, saying it’s toxic.

For those who need a refresher, The Rainbow Fish is a children’s picture book written and illustrated by Swiss author and illustrator Marcus Pfiser and published in 1992. The story follows a Rainbow Fish, who has shiny, multicoloured scales, which are the envy of all the other fish.

So much so, that they won’t play with Rainbow Fish unless he gives them some of his glittering scales. Eventually he gives up all but one of his shiny scales to other fish, and they all end up having just one multicoloured shiny scale. And Rainbow Fish is happy. Seems pretty innocuous right? A story about sharing, about equality. Or is it?

For some time there’s been a bubbling undertow of criticism, which has once again resurfaced with educators taking to TikTok to share their concern.

“The illustrations are great and I think the author had good intentions,” explained primary school teacher Mr. Vương in his video.

But his main gripe with the book is that Rainbow Fish had to give up part of himself for the other fish to play with him.

“I think the story would have worked out better if they just played on Rainbow Fish’s character flaw, which was that he was not humble and that he thought he was better than everybody.

“But when Rainbow Fish said, ‘No’ and drew a boundary, all the other fish decided not to play with him. That made it more about how all the fish didn’t accept him because he didn’t give up his scales, rather than them responding to his stuck up behaviour.  So he got acceptance when he gave up parts of who he was. He had to change to get others to like him.”

His sentiments were echoed by nursingtheoryprof: “We also hate this book in our house … we threw it away after we were given it as a gift after we realised that it basically says he had to give up parts of himself to buy friends.”

While 31-year-old librarian Abby doesn’t mince words, saying the book is her enemy.

“This book is my nemesis. This is why I hate this book: so this fish – The Rainbow Fish – has these glittering scales. And all the other fish hate him for it. Why? It gets worse. So, the Rainbow Fish goes around and he asks what he should do about everybody hating him and ultimately, it turns out that the other fish have decided that they want some of these shiny scales, because they’re jealous.

“So what’s the logical solution here? Clearly disembodiment. Yeah! So the Rainbow Fish decides that he’s going to remove his scale and share them with these jealous, angry fish. What? I seriously hate this book.”

While TikTok user Lilly Scott claims the book is ‘toxic’.

“This classic childhood book literally might be one of the most toxic books I’ve ever read. Don’t you think the lesson should be that if someone doesn’t want to be your friend because you’re not giving them something then … go make a different friend?”

Have you read this book to your kids? What’s your opinion. Let us know in the comments below.

  • If you look hard enough there’s a floor in everything

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  • I’m not a fan of any book where kids/people/animals are coerced in any way. And that’s what happens here.

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  • Wow, calm down! I love rainbow fish. The moral in the story is clearly about sharing and people are reading way too much into it!

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  • People like to tear everything apart especially for social media of course there is a different angle to everything

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  • Interesting points and looking critically and revaluating books and movies is good for a society. People should have their own opinions but testing books and movies promotes respectful discussion.

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  • I wonder if they are trying to read too much into it.

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  • Oh God, I think top many people have too much spare time to see way too much between the lines of kids books

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  • I do agree it’s not a great book, but I just don’t like my children read it, won’t make a big deal out of it. There will be other parents who like the book. I don’t have a problem with other parents like this book for their children.

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  • I can understand what these teachers ate saying but I think the book gives you an opportunity to talk to kids about not changing themselves for others. Ask them if they would do what rainbow fish did just to have friends. It may give insight into how they feel.in social relationships.

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  • I always had issue with it. Rainbow fish had to change his physical appearance in order to be accepted my others. In humans standards, people would have to change the colour of their skin to make others happy.
    I still read it to my kids but use it as a teaching point about how Rainbow Fish shouldn’t have to change his appearances to please others

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  • Wow it’s just a book. How ridiculous

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  • It’s just a story book! Why make it into something it’s not? Just chill people!

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  • What is this world coming too? Seriously this is going to far. It is so hard to raise kids nowdays without something being taken out of context. I still sing “Baa Baa Black Sheep” to my children as their uncle actually owned 3 Black sheep on his farm and they seem confused with the word “Rainbow Sheep” as there is no such thing as a Rainbow Sheep.
    At the end of the day, we will raise our children they way we want, give them the best guidance and of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion but it is unfair to “Ban” a book that is harmless and being misunderstood by uneducated people who makes a fuss over nothing.

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  • I think its an innocent story for kids.no need to over think it

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  • Wow such in-depth thoughts into a kids book, gone are the days when a story is just a kids story for kids to enjoy

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  • This is one book that we didn’t have. I can understand why people are concerned with the message that it gives.

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  • Seriously, I understand about WOKE being the latest thing but I am also sick of what I call OVERWOKEING. They took away golliwog toys because they were racist and edited the original Famous five books because they considered Fanny and Dick to be unsavoury names. When I was a kid I never once associated our favourite golliwog toy as being a person of colour or of a racist nature, I just loved him because he was cute and different to the other toys and nice to cuddle. Noddy is also now being criticised. Honestly, kids are not racist until they are taught to be! Rainbow Fish was a favourite book by many kids and not one of them associated all of the so called sharing and giving up pieces of yourself as anything when reading it or being read it. There is such a thing as innocence and just enjoying something because you like the pictures or the feelings because you are a child. It is adults that create drama where there was none to begin with in the eyes of a child! How about we all remember what it was like to be a child and how we viewed the world until we were told or shown differently by adults. And honestly, what happened to the aussie sense of humour and having a laugh at yourself? Has that disappeared too?!


    • Well said I couldn’t have said it better and was thinking the exact same thing everything we grew up with that never hurt or defined how we became who we are is being way over analysed now and it’s sad the truth is we as adults and parents should guide our children as to how they should treat others and if we’re toxic and racist our kids will begin to think that’s how we should be as adults!! Monkey see monkey do is what I’ve always believed and I myself never grew up with thinking hey this rainbow fish had to buy his friends so that’s I guess how it works!! I wonder if many people have read the original Cinderella or Snow White before Disney changed them to be what they are today and yet those stories are still pretty gruesome and scary even after the changes… let kids continue being innocent and don’t bring these stupid trivial things to their attention!!

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  • I remember this book as a child. Not necessarily what it what about.. but the beautiful colours of the fish seemed magical at the time.

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  • I have read this book over the past 16 years and love it. As my kids got older we’ve had discussions about it and how they feel about it. My almost 4 year old now is getting into it.

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  • Must admit sadly that I have never heard of this book before reading this article. I now am curious, and intend to get it to form my own opinion. I have alot of school teachers in our family, so next gathering will be interesting, as I intend to talk about this book.

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