Is it more important that he feels better or that he has this new purpose? What is the connection between the two? In addition to Mr. Fish’s sadness, the other fish don’t understand his emotions and exclude him because of this. The jellyfish, squid, and octopus all complain that Mr. Fish mopes too much. Is it okay for the sea creatures to expect Mr. Fish to be happy when he is not? Is it okay for Mr. Fish to not feel happy? These types of questions delve further into the role of well-being and happiness in personal relationships. For Mr. Fish, the sea creatures attempt to prevent, correct, or mitigate his sadness and assume it is a generally undesirable trait to be sad. However, this approach isolates Mr. Fish, which presumably furthers his sadness. What would be a better path of action for the sea creatures to take? How can the sea creatures take better care of their friend? These questions can be used to open up a discussion regarding personal relationships hindered by the challenges facing a friend. Purpose and Meaningfulness After the Silver fish kisses the Pout-Pout fish, his life seems much better. Do you think it is because he’s feeling happy or because he has a new purpose in making others feel better by kissing them? Anyone who's had the misfortune of dealing with depression knows how this goes. Selfish and/or ignorant jerks who claim to care about you tell you to just smile, as if the expression on your face will magically fix the sadness in your mind. They complain that you're 'sulking' and point out how unappealing your sadness is as if they can shame you into faking a smile until it becomes real.

Thank goodness for other reviewers. I bought the book, and it is now a favorite for 9 month old Sammy. It's equally useful for any gender, with no assumptions made. How much does having a meaningful purpose contribute to having a good, happy life? Can someone be happy without a purpose? Or have a purpose, but not be happy? To turn them around how, exactly? From being depressed into being an assaulter? Not a great way to turn things around, I'd say! Pouting are scavengers which feed on the seabed. They forage for any food source they can find with marine worms, shellfish and dead fish all making up their diet. [4] Due to their small size pouting are a source of prey for large species such as cod, bass and conger eels.Distribution: Found around most of the UK, although they are more common in the south and south west of the British Isles. Looks like if you submit a review through the Kindle app, it overwrites an existing goodreads review. Oops... So now you get to see both. After all his friends are done being mean to the pouting fish, a female fish comes along, doesn't say anything to him, and kisses him without asking before swimming away. All the sudden, he's no longer sad. See, now he decides to spread 'the cheery-cheeries' by kissing everyone else at random. And the final line of this book, presented as if the moral?

In the second half of the book, Mr. Fish is kissed by the Silver Fish and transforms into a happy, kissing fish with the purpose of making everyone else feel better with one of his joyous kisses. This transformation, as a result of the kiss, seems to make his life much better. One of the thoughts that come to mind when reflecting on this transformation is whether Mr. Fish’s life is better because he is happy or because he now has a purpose in life. This book allows for a facilitated discussion and debate about happiness versus purpose. Is it important for the Pout-Pout fish to be happy, or is it more important that he now has a purpose? And what is the connection between the two? Can someone be happy without a purpose? Or have a purpose, but not be happy? Here's a better idea: don't teach kids to torment people with depression or general sadness and not to accept being treated that way. And definitely don't condone kissing or accepting kisses from total strangers without consent! After being kissed by the Silver fish, the Pout-Pout fish’s purpose seems to be making other fish feel better. Is this purpose meaningful, or is it pointless? Questions for Philosophical Discussion » Summary The Pout-Pout Fish is a story about happinness and the role of purpose in making a life meaningful. Why do the other sea creatures want the pout pout fish to be happy? Is it okay for them to want this? How do you think this makes Mr. Fish feel?And what does this poor, little fish's friends do? Exactly that! Something we should be teaching children to avoid doing is presented as if totally normal. Now, before you think I'm reading too much into this, let me assure you that not only is the glumness of his 'pouting' constantly referred to as a downer but I'm not just inferring his friends guilting and insulting him for it. My dad and I finished this book for the for the first time today. We read it because it was kind of a pout pout day. My interest in the book was originally to see other expressions of the pouty lips my dad and I practice when we do our “mirror face” routine (that’s when my dad and I look in the mirror and practice making faces at each other like raised eye brows, pouty lips, and our side eyes). Sometimes it’s easier for my dad to make the expressions because he drools less than me, but I think drooling amplifies my pouty lip. Mr. Fish lives with a constant pout on his face. He always seems to be sad and frowning. Octopi, clams, and other various sea critters all tell him to smile a little and be happy, but the Pout-Pout fish claims that this is just the way he is. Then, all of a sudden, his frown is turned upside-down after he is kissed by a shimmering silver fish. After he is kissed, the Pout-Pout fish becomes the Kiss-Kiss fish, giving all of his sea friends kisses and making everyone as happy as he is.

This book has more words than some of my other board books, but it went really fast today when my dad read it to the tune of the boogie woogie bugle boy from company-b. *** Spoilers ahead*** At the end my dad reminded me that I should never let romantic interest turn my world upside down or value my own worth through the eyes of others. After that discussion, my mom, who was busy making an elaborate dinner, asked if we had read the consent warning so we read that part too. What does the Pout-Pout fish do after the Silver fish kisses him? Why might that make him feel better? Do you think the Silver fish should have asked the Pout-Pout fish before they kissed?

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And even if it means a familial or friendly 'kiss' that's still a gross message. You don't tell someone who's sad that they're an annoying burden and demand they be happy! No person, child or otherwise, should have to listen to that. You don't randomly kiss strangers without consent - and the book makes it clear the female kissing fish is one nobody had seen before, so she wasn't friend or family. Maybe let's don't teach kids that the cure to sadness is to go around kissing random folk without even asking...? Just a thought.

Original questions and guidelines for philosophical discussion by Tristan Leigh and Sally Donovan. Edited June 2020 by The Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics. Wow, so... I don't even know how to articulate how much I hate the message of this book. I wouldn't let it near any child I cared about, unless they were too young to understand the words. And even then, I'd be hesitant because it portrays a fish being very sad and his so-called friends making him feel worse about it then a whole bunch of random kissing.

Guidelines for Philosophical Discussion

This book also asks the important question of what role purpose plays in having a meaningful life and whether a purpose needs to be meaningful or not. Some may believe that the Pout-Pout fish’s life seems to go from having no meaning to being meaningful after finding his purpose. Others may disagree and claim that his purpose is meaningless. This debate asks the important question of whether it is up to you or someone else to decide if your purpose is meaningful or worthwhile. Many activities can seem like a waste of time if one focuses on it, but perhaps it is a matter of perspective and how it affects people’s lives differently. For example, a man who spends his life counting all the blades of grass on his lawn may seem like he has a pointless purpose, but it may be completely meaningful to him or maybe even some others who know him to count all the blades of grass on his lawn. Considering this, we can begin to think about what makes a purpose worthwhile and meaningful. Does his purpose even need to have meaning? Hopefully, through this book, we can produce a productive conversation about purpose and meaningfulness. Questions for Philosophical Discussion Happiness My friends,” says Mr. Fish, “I should have known it all along. I thought that I was pouty, but it turns out I was wrong. I’m a kiss-kiss fish…” The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Deisen is a wonderful book that helps to begin age appropriate conversations with children about emotions and feelings. The Pout-Pout Fish is a story about Mr. Fish who has a perpetual frown on his face. He always feels sad much to the concern of his friends in the ocean. His friends try to give him advice and want him to smile and be cheerful, but Mr. Fish is convinced that this is just the way he is. That is until one little fish gives him a kiss and changes his whole outlook on things. The Pout-Pout Fish becomes the Kiss-Kiss Fish and sets about making his friends as happy as he is. Now, I will give credit that this doesn't make him any happier. But this isn't a story about having reasonable compassion or helping friends who are struggling or not saying hurtful things to people who are sad. No, see, it's about how apparently all this little 'pout-pout fish' needs is to be kissed and discover he was actually a 'kiss-kiss fish' all along, unaware he just needed to share joy by kissing everyone instead of pouting all day.