Parents have criticised Marcus Pfister's 1992 children's book The Rainbow Fish, saying it teaches a "horrible life lesson" and that its intended message about sharing does not come across that way.
One parent, writing on Quora, called it the "most horrible children's book ever written," adding: "People love this book, but I do not like its message. It is supposed to be about sharing, but it is not."
Story of the Rainbow Fish
The book follows a fish with iridescent scales who believes he is the "most beautiful fish" in the sea but is sad because he has no friends. On the advice of an octopus, he gives away some of his scales, keeping just one shiny scale for himself. He may no longer be the most beautiful, but he gains many friends.
However, some parents questioned the plot: "Why does the Rainbow Fish have to give his scales away to have friends? This isn't sharing. This is other, less beautiful, fish being mean and jealous."
They added: "It is not the fault of the Rainbow Fish that he was born with beautiful scales. To me, it's the human equivalent of having no friends because you're beautiful and all the other girls are jealous. You cannot give your friends pieces of yourself as the Rainbow Fish does. It's not sharing. It's bribing. It's fish (people) being small, mean, and covetous. The lesson the book thinks it's teaching is really not the message I'm reading."
Author's intended message
Media Munchies also addressed the controversy in a recent video, describing the book as one of the "most controversial books" at just 16 pages long and covered in iridescent stickers. The video showed Goodreads reviews where readers slammed the book as "manipulation" and "people-pleasing propaganda."
Author Marcus Pfister has said the story's message is that it doesn't matter "how you look and how you dress," but rather that it's "much more important what you feel, and what you do." Critics, however, say it teaches a concerning lesson "about boundaries and consent," with the Rainbow Fish literally giving pieces of himself away.
Media Munchies asked: "Is Rainbow Fish learning generosity and letting go of his ego? Or is he being taught to give up pieces of himself in exchange for friendship?" The video concluded that the book is controversial not because it teaches one bad lesson, but because the same story can teach two completely different ones.
