Swimmy (book) facts for kids

Swimmy is a classic picture book from 1963. It was both written and illustrated by Leo Lionni. The story is about a brave little fish named Swimmy. He stands out because he is black, while all his family are red.

Swimmy goes on an amazing adventure in the ocean. He explores the sea after being forced away from his home. When he meets a new group of fish, they are scared to leave their safe rock. Swimmy helps them by becoming the leader they need. The book is famous for its beautiful illustrations. It received a Caldecott Honor in 1964.

Swimmy's Big Adventure

One day, a very large tuna fish eats all of Swimmy's red fish family. Swimmy is the only one left. He is very scared and all alone in the huge ocean. The little black fish swims away into the big sea.

On his journey, Swimmy sees many beautiful and strange creatures. He sees a jellyfish that looks like a rainbow. He also sees a lobster that moves like a machine. Finally, he finds another group of little red fish. They look just like his old family.

Swimmy is very excited and asks them to come out and play. But they refuse. They are afraid of the big fish and do not want to get eaten. Swimmy tells them they must make a plan. They cannot spend their whole lives hiding in the rocks.

Swimmy then comes up with a clever plan. He tells all the red fish to swim together in the shape of a giant fish. Then, Swimmy takes his place among them. He becomes the eye of the big fish shape. After that, they can swim in the sea without fear. They scare away bigger fish wherever they go.

How the Book Was Made

Leo Lionni used special art methods to create Swimmy. He used paints and stamping to make his underwater world. He also used everyday objects to create the pictures. For example, he used lace to make seaweed. He used cloth to show the water. String was used to create the tentacles of sea creatures. These methods helped him make the book's unique and beautiful look.