Reviews: Goldfish Hide-and-Seek

This review was first appeared in Kirkus Reviews, 15 June, 1997.

   Where is Heidi hiding? This single question forms the premise for a goldfish game of hide-and-seek. The seeker is an unnamed friend and fellow goldfish who asks the question of Miss Frog, Mr. Octopus, Doctor Angler, and others who inhabit the fishbowl universe. But Heidi is not to be found in this watery world. When the fish jumps out to have a look around, it finds that danger lurks outside the fishbowl in the form of Mr. Cat. As a distraction, the fish does a little dance and gets away, splashing into Heidi's path in a now uncluttered two-fish bowl, earlier shown profuse with underwater flora and fish, not to mention household items.

   The ending shortchanges its audience: Heidi appears out of nowhere, without an explanation for her previous whereabouts, nor visual clues for those preschool sleuths who may have wanted to join the search. It's a storyline that lacks the splash readers expect from Kitamura (Duck Is Dirty, 1996, etc.).

This review was first appeared in The Horn Book, 1998.

   A goldfish scours an amazingly well-stocked fishbowl, searching for his friend. It is dissatisfying that, when the friend does finally return, the reader is given no clue as to where within or outside of this odd watery world she has been. Kitamura's distinctively round-eyed characters and pronounced lines exhibit their usual energy, but the flimsy story lacks purpose.

This review was first appeared in The Independent, 12 July, 1997.

   Goldfish Hide and Seek by Satoshi Kitamura (Andersen Press, pounds 8.99) More nutty nonsense: a goldfish loses a playmate, but discovers a frog that sculpts; a fish doctor; two turtles playing chess; a hungry cat, and a love of dancing. The story is full of surprises and the characters, especially Mr Octopus the angst-ridden artist ("I see nothing but my art"), are joyfully eccentric. Crisp illustrations and an eye for the absurd: yet another wonderfully senseless book from Kitamura.