Anemone is lonely. It’s sick of being stuck with the boring barnacles. All it wants is a friend to share its rockpool. When three fish swim in from the deep, dark ocean, Anemone takes a chance on making friends.

With friends like this who needs anemone?

Unfortunately, Anemone has a major problem with social distancing. And, when the tide goes out and the fish and anemone are forced closer, STING.

Anemone can’t help it, it’s an automatic reaction to sting. The three fish can’t wait for the tide to change so they can swim away from the stinging anemone.  

Send in the clowns

Poor Anemone thinks it will never make friends, when in swims a clown fish. Instantly they form a marvellous friendship. But then, a giant octopus approaches. Clown fish has no choice but to hide in close with Anemone and …

What happens next is something only nature can explain, I’m just a mere book reviewer. Except to say, it’s a wonderful ending to a very clever book. I highly recommend it!

A good sub-story

What I love almost as much as the story itself, which I love a lot, is the sub-story happening in the background. I absolutely love it when illustrators do this. Anna McGregor is a genius – hilarious and clever. Without impacting the main story whatsoever, the sub-story sees a little crab looking for a home among the shells and little sea creatures that inhabit a rock pool. Awesome!

The book’s end-pages come with some great facts about clown fish and anemones. Perfect for school readings.

Details:

Author / Illustrator: Anna McGregor

Publisher: Scribble, Victoria, 2020