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Quick answer: If you loved The Rainbow Fish, try Rainbow Fish to the Rescue!, Swimmy, Each Kindness, The Pout-Pout Fish, The Giving Tree and The Invisible Boy. Each one is a gentle picture book about kindness, sharing, friendship and being yourself.
Marcus Pfister's 1992 picture book follows the Rainbow Fish, the most beautiful fish in the ocean with shiny, glittering scales. He is proud and won't share them, so the other fish stop playing with him. On the advice of a wise octopus, he gives a scale to each fish and discovers the joy of friendship. Its shimmering foil pages made it famous. Readers love its message about sharing. These books share its kindness and its lessons.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Age | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Fish to the Rescue! | Marcus Pfister | 3-6 | readers who want the sequel |
| Swimmy | Leo Lionni | 3-7 | readers who like teamwork |
| Each Kindness | Jacqueline Woodson | 5-9 | readers who like kindness |
| The Pout-Pout Fish | Deborah Diesen | 2-6 | readers who like grumpy fish |
| The Giving Tree | Shel Silverstein | 4-8 | readers who like giving |
| The Invisible Boy | Trudy Ludwig | 5-9 | readers who like inclusion |
| Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon | Patty Lovell | 4-8 | readers who like confidence |
| Have You Filled a Bucket Today? | Carol McCloud | 4-8 | readers who like kindness lessons |
| Mine! | Jeff Mack | 2-6 | younger readers |
| Strictly No Elephants | Lisa Mantchev | 3-7 | readers who like friendship |
| The Day the Crayons Quit | Drew Daywalt | 4-8 | readers who like funny voices |
| Mr. Seahorse | Eric Carle | 3-6 | readers who like ocean creatures |
| Commotion in the Ocean | Giles Andreae | 3-6 | readers who like ocean rhymes |
| Elmer | David McKee | 3-7 | readers who like being different |
| Be Kind | Pat Zietlow Miller | 4-8 | readers who like gentle lessons |
1. Rainbow Fish to the Rescue! by Marcus Pfister
Rainbow Fish helps a striped fish.
Best for: readers who want the sequel.
2. Swimmy by Leo Lionni
A little fish helps others swim together.
Best for: readers who like teamwork.
3. Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
A girl regrets not being kind.
Best for: readers who like kindness.
4. The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen
A gloomy fish learns to smile.
Best for: readers who like grumpy fish.
5. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
A tree gives everything.
Best for: readers who like giving.
6. The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
An overlooked boy makes a friend.
Best for: readers who like inclusion.
7. Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell
A girl is proud to be herself.
Best for: readers who like confidence.
8. Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud
A guide to daily kindness.
Best for: readers who like kindness lessons.
9. Mine! by Jeff Mack
Two mice fight over a rock.
Best for: younger readers.
10. Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev
A boy and his tiny elephant find friends.
Best for: readers who like friendship.
11. The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
Crayons complain.
Best for: readers who like funny voices.
12. Mr. Seahorse by Eric Carle
A seahorse dad cares for his eggs.
Best for: readers who like ocean creatures.
13. Commotion in the Ocean by Giles Andreae
Funny rhymes about sea creatures.
Best for: readers who like ocean rhymes.
14. Elmer by David McKee
A patchwork elephant learns to be himself.
Best for: readers who like being different.
15. Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller
A girl wonders what kindness means.
Best for: readers who like gentle lessons.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with The Rainbow Fish: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to The Rainbow Fish. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
For more Rainbow Fish, read Rainbow Fish to the Rescue!. If you love underwater stories, Swimmy and The Pout-Pout Fish are favorites. For kindness lessons, Each Kindness, Be Kind and Have You Filled a Bucket Today? are wonderful. Elmer celebrates being different.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Rainbow Fish about?
A beautiful fish learns that sharing his special scales brings friendship.
When was it published?
In 1992, originally in German.
What age is it for?
It suits children about 3 to 7.
Why does it shimmer?
The illustrations use holographic foil for the scales.
Is the message controversial?
Some readers debate whether giving away what makes you special is the right lesson.
Is there a sequel?
Yes, several, including Rainbow Fish to the Rescue!
What should my child read next?
Swimmy.
Who gives the Rainbow Fish advice?
A wise octopus tells him to share his scales.
Is it good for teaching sharing?
Yes. Many preschools use it to talk about sharing and friendship.