Cat and Fish

Cat and Fish is a picture book written by Neil Curtis. In 2004, Cat and Fish was named Picture Book of the Year by the Australian Children's Book Council and has been published and distributed internationally. Young children can enjoy this simple story of friendship, while older children and adults will be prompted to consider the deeper messages in the book.

Cat and Fish is the story of two characters that come from very different worlds – the land and the water. When they meet, they form an unusual friendship and decide they want to share in each other's lives. While Cat shows Fish his world, Fish realises she misses the sea. Cat takes her back home and meets Fish's friends. Understanding each other's different needs, they seek a solution so that they can remain friends and still be together. They find that learning new ways can bring unexpected delights. This story has many underlying messages/meanings and is great books for helping students understand, friendship, multiculturalism, differences in genders and socioeconomical differences.

Curtis’s stunning black and white illustrations reflect this story of opposites, highlighting the contrasts between the two different worlds of Cat and Fish. The illustrations appear as engravings with intricate detail and effective use of line to represent different terrains. This is enhanced by the text layout and design that support the illustrations and reflect the different environments of land and water.

This story is suitable for primary students and could be used in a reading programme for students in a shared/ guided reading. This is an excellent classroom resource which will have students engaged and help students develop meaning from the text.