First published 2003
Kogi stands before his easel, brush in hand, but the paintings never match what he sees in the natural world. His art feels lifeless, missing something essential that he cannot name or capture. Then something extraordinary happens. Kogi transforms into a golden fish, experiencing life from an entirely different perspective. Swimming through water, seeing light filter down from above, feeling currents against his scales, he begins to understand what his paintings have been missing. This transformation reveals a secret about life itself, one that changes how he sees the world around him. When Kogi returns to his human form and picks up his brush again, he carries this new understanding with him. The artist he always meant to become finally emerges.
Genres: art, coming-of-age, fantasy, magical-realism
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, self-discovery
32 pages · Hardcover · Dutton Books for Young Readers