Review by Booklist Review
When Henry wears his bright-orange fish suit, he feels special. It has scales that sparkle and shimmer. There's a long tail that swishes when he walks and a secret pocket. Just a little tight, the fish suit feels "like wearing a hug." Henry wears it everywhere, every day, so when his mother gives him new, non-sparkly clothes to wear on his first day of school, Henry balks. In his classroom, the children watch him warily, but he soon befriends Lucy, who wears cat ears, and Ethan, who builds a tower of blocks with him. Back home, Henry tells his goldfish about his day and looks forward to taking her to school on Pet Day. The third-person narrative excels at representing the child's viewpoint fairly without attempting to explain it. After all, when facing a daunting new experience, who wouldn't want the clothing that gives him courage, accompanied by a constant, supportive hug? Pilutti's bright, lively illustrations were created with gouache, wax pastels, and "a bit of digital painting." A playful picture book focusing on the first-day-of-school theme.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-K--Henry is proud of his fabulous fish costume that he puts on every day. He wears it shopping, playing, and even when he takes his goldfish, Marigold, for a ride in the wagon. Henry is most comfortable when he wears his shiny suit since it is sparkly on the outside and warm and cozy on the inside. "It felt like wearing a hug." Henry's mother tries to explain why it would be better for the boy to wear regular clothes on his first day of school instead of his costume, but Henry is not persuaded. Upon arriving at school, Henry finds that his classmates are unsure about his unusual garb, but they gradually come to accept it, and he even receives compliments. As the day progresses, he realizes that parts of his fish suit are a hindrance, so the fins, the tail, and the head are gradually removed. When the school day is over, Henry's classmates plan their outfits for the second day of school. Cheerful illustrations were created with gouache, wax pastels, and a bit of digital painting. VERDICT Children will enjoy reading about Henry's first day of school and seeing how he maintains his individuality and makes new friends.--Maryann H. Owen
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Henry loves wearing a fish costume that matches his pet goldfish, Marigold, and plans to wear it when he starts school -- a milestone about which he is anxious. His parents try to reason with him; they offer reassurance and eventually bribes to go to school without the costume, but he remains unconvinced. New school clothes can't compete with his "wonderful suit made of shiny scales, with flippery fins and a long tail." His fish costume "felt like wearing a hug," and, as he confides to Marigold, "What if I need a hug?" The gouache and wax pastel illustrations with "a bit of digital painting" are primarily in soothing shades of blue, making Henry in his bright orange costume the focal point of the compositions. Henry prevails and shows up on the first day in his costume. His classmates stare; no one sits near him at circle time. Things begin to change when Henry befriends Lucy, who is wearing cat ears. After meeting this kindred spirit, he slowly sheds parts of his fish suit. That he never totally abandons it displays the great respect and care with which Pilutti depicts this specific child's experience. A picture book that should definitely "go to school," to the library, to homes, and to wherever apprehensive kids and their peers may be. Megan Dowd LambertSeptember/October 2025 p.49 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Like many kids, Henry wants to wear his favorite outfit on the first day of school. Unlike other children, however, Henry enjoys wearing an oversize fish costume that makes him look like his beloved goldfish, Marigold. His face peeps through the mask, and the costume contains holes for his legs, but everything else is covered. Despite his parents' apprehension and his own concerns, Henry goes ahead with his unusual get-up; after all, it feels like "wearing a hug." No one sits next to Henry at circle time, but things improve as the day progresses. Slowly, he finds himself shedding parts of his costume: He gives a classmate named Lucy his fins so he can more easily use scissors while working on an art project, he lets Mr. Blake hold his tail at recess, and he trades the fish head for Lucy's cat ears at storytime. Eventually, Henry's down to just a scaly orange vest, which has become his new treasured item. Pilutti's understated multimedia illustrations pair well with the text, a mix of narration and realistic dialogue presented in speech bubbles. Laudably, while the adults in Henry's life express doubts about his wardrobe choices, they give him the space he needs to figure things out; though his journey's a bit rocky, it comes to a quietly triumphant conclusion. Henry is pale-skinned; his classmates are diverse. An offbeat and empathetic take on handling first-day-of-school anxieties.(Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
