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mehsi's review against another edition
5.0
Imagine this, your uncle starts a fish factory, right in his house. You are moved out of your room into a cupboard. You get a chance to celebrate your birthday, and you win some goldfish at a fairground.
Then at night your uncle bakes and pulps your goldfish into a can for a new line, leaving you with one little goldfish.
What would you do?
a Stay home and plot a lovely revenge?
b Run away to the fairgrounds and travel with the people there.
If you picked a, then I would suggest you drop this book and find another one. This just isn't for you.
If you picked b, then congrats! You will love this book! Since Stanley does just that, he runs away, taking his one goldfish with him and joins the fairground people.
I really really loved this book. It was hilarious, silly, and a bit gruesome (the poor goldfish), you will shiver in delight at many of the things happening, you will cheer for Stanley in his many things he does.
Stanley was just a lovely character, I really liked him. I liked how he kept working hard, no matter what came on his path. I loved how he went from goldfish to piranhas. From a sad, lonely boy, to a boy with a superstar future!
The side characters were absolutely wonderful. Mr. Dostoyevsky was a great character, he really cared about Stanley, and for his daughter. Nitasha was a bit of grumpy character but you find out soon why this is like that. Then we have Pancho the man who swims with the piranhas.
What I didn't like or at least what confused me, was the DAFT agency men. It felt to me like the writer just put in a bad guy, and totally forgot to tell us why he put them in there. Their spelling was horrendous, atrocious, their ways mysterious. And I found it a shame.
But other than that little thing, the rest is perfect. I am sure children, but also adults will love this book and embrace Stanley.
Then at night your uncle bakes and pulps your goldfish into a can for a new line, leaving you with one little goldfish.
What would you do?
a Stay home and plot a lovely revenge?
b Run away to the fairgrounds and travel with the people there.
If you picked a, then I would suggest you drop this book and find another one. This just isn't for you.
If you picked b, then congrats! You will love this book! Since Stanley does just that, he runs away, taking his one goldfish with him and joins the fairground people.
I really really loved this book. It was hilarious, silly, and a bit gruesome (the poor goldfish), you will shiver in delight at many of the things happening, you will cheer for Stanley in his many things he does.
Stanley was just a lovely character, I really liked him. I liked how he kept working hard, no matter what came on his path. I loved how he went from goldfish to piranhas. From a sad, lonely boy, to a boy with a superstar future!
The side characters were absolutely wonderful. Mr. Dostoyevsky was a great character, he really cared about Stanley, and for his daughter. Nitasha was a bit of grumpy character but you find out soon why this is like that. Then we have Pancho the man who swims with the piranhas.
What I didn't like or at least what confused me, was the DAFT agency men. It felt to me like the writer just put in a bad guy, and totally forgot to tell us why he put them in there. Their spelling was horrendous, atrocious, their ways mysterious. And I found it a shame.
But other than that little thing, the rest is perfect. I am sure children, but also adults will love this book and embrace Stanley.
bickie's review
3.0
Orphan Stanley Potts lives with his aunt and uncle, but this is no Harry Potter scenario. Aunt Annie and Uncle Ernie love Stan very much, but when the shipyard where Ernie works closes, he becomes a little too obsessed with processing and canning fish. Stan heads to a traveling fair on his birthday and is horrified by the state of the goldfish hanging in little bags at the hook-a-duck stand. Stan manages to convince Dostoevsky, the booth owner, to give him the fish, and he quickly takes them to the river to refresh their water, giving him immense calm. One thing leads to another, and Stan ends up joining the hook-a-duck operation while unbeknownst to him, a group of self-righteous vigilante thugs shut down the "fishy operations" going on inside Ernie and Annie's house (which was turned into a fish processing factory). Stan discovers talents he never knew he had, and all ends well (unless you decide on a different ending; it's really up to you). Best for ages 9-12 (identity-seeking; younger children will likely not understand the ironic humor of DAFT, the anti-fishiness vigilantes; however, nothing objectionable).
marshmallow1911's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
lilawood's review
4.0
Stanley Potts leads a life that is extraordinary for both good and not so good things. He lost his parents and now lives with an uncle that makes him work every day with fish and he can't live like a normal boy his age. For his birthday, his aunt let him go away and discover the place they live in. He ends up in a peculiar fair in which he meets the people that are going to give him a new life.
Excellently narrated, excellently crafted, excellently illustrated and excellently translated into Spanish (because that is how I read it). Every single character is impossible to forget, because each one of them has its own issues and story. The locations are perfect for this Roald Dahl-esque ambiance of misery and excitement. The narrator, for some reason reminds me of the best Lemony Snicket. And Oliver Jeffers... oh! Oliver Jeffers! What an excellent work he did here! I'd love to have a plush doll of all of the characters so that I could squeeze them. They couldn't be cuter and more loveable. Also the atmospheres make me want to travel there.
Stanley Potts' story deserves to be spread!
Excellently narrated, excellently crafted, excellently illustrated and excellently translated into Spanish (because that is how I read it). Every single character is impossible to forget, because each one of them has its own issues and story. The locations are perfect for this Roald Dahl-esque ambiance of misery and excitement. The narrator, for some reason reminds me of the best Lemony Snicket. And Oliver Jeffers... oh! Oliver Jeffers! What an excellent work he did here! I'd love to have a plush doll of all of the characters so that I could squeeze them. They couldn't be cuter and more loveable. Also the atmospheres make me want to travel there.
Stanley Potts' story deserves to be spread!
cassandrasoley's review
4.0
This book is written for children grades 2-5 I believe. It is very catching, I quite enjoyed it and will be recommending it to many readers
bookslucyking's review
5.0
Lovely, inspiring, magical story about the boy who swam with Piranhas. I enjoyed it a lot. I liked the way author narrated the story. Great for kids and for adults, too.
sasha_in_a_box's review
4.0
This book is like Wes Anderson for kids. Ill-advised canning factories, thugs who can't spell, boy befriending carnival fish, boy escaping with mysterious circus, going on mini-quests, and finally, meeting his destiny inside a fishtank. It's a fun one with lots of oddities.
luweebayy's review
5.0
I enjoyed this book. It’s silly and whimsical although the ‘villain’ with his misspelling and mispronunciations did annoy me a little, bit I imagine it appeals as comic and funny to younger readers so didn’t knock off a star for it. Overall a fabulous book!
yellowhighwaylines's review
4.0
Typical Almond - lyrical, heartfelt, and the right balance between darkness and whimsy. For slightly younger readers than some of his others, this at times features direct addressing of the audience, reminiscent of Dahl at times. Almond can be an acquired taste, but I certainly enjoy his work. The illustrations and title text from Oliver Jeffers were a lovely addition.
froggylibrarian1's review
4.0
I have never read a book by David Almond and that's too bad. I really enjoyed his voice. There were some sections where the narrator spoke to the reader and it was funny and very insightful. I enjoyed this book quite a bit.
Stanley Potts was taken in by his aunt and uncle after his parents died but things have gotten a bit weird. His uncle has become obsessed with his new fish canning business and when he steals Stanley's goldfish and makes them into a new product Stanley runs away from home. He joins up with a man and his daughter who run a booth at traveling fairs. At the first fair he meets a man who swims with piranhas and who wants Stanley to become his apprentice. Will Stanley be able to do it? Will he ever see his aunt and uncle again? And what is up with DAFT?
Very quirky...I enjoyed it :)
Stanley Potts was taken in by his aunt and uncle after his parents died but things have gotten a bit weird. His uncle has become obsessed with his new fish canning business and when he steals Stanley's goldfish and makes them into a new product Stanley runs away from home. He joins up with a man and his daughter who run a booth at traveling fairs. At the first fair he meets a man who swims with piranhas and who wants Stanley to become his apprentice. Will Stanley be able to do it? Will he ever see his aunt and uncle again? And what is up with DAFT?
Very quirky...I enjoyed it :)