One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish Explained

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
Author:Dr. Seuss
Country:United States
Language:English
Genre:Children's literature
Publisher:Random House, The Living Books Company (1998)
Pub Date:1960
Oclc:184473
Preceded By:Happy Birthday to You!
Followed By:Green Eggs and Ham
Illustrator:Dr. Seuss

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish (stylized as One fish two fish red fish blue fish) is a 1960 children's book by Dr. Seuss. As of 2001, over six million copies of the book had been sold, placing it 13th on a list of "All-Time Bestselling Children's Books" from Publishers Weekly.[1] Based on a 2007 online poll, the United States' National Education Association labor union listed the book as one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children".[2]

It is a simple rhyming book for beginning readers, with a freewheeling plot about a boy and a girl named Jay and Kay and the many amazing creatures they have for friends and pets. Interspersed are some surreal and unrelated skits, such as a man named Ned whose feet stick out from his bed, a creature who has a bird in his ear, and one man named Joe who cannot hear the other man's call because of a mouse cutting the line.

Audio and video versions

Rik Mayall narrated this story as part of a HarperCollins audiobook that also includes The Lorax, Dr. Seuss's ABC and How the Grinch Stole Christmas!.

In other media

In the animated adaptation of Green Eggs and Ham, the titular fish are featured in the beginning of the episode "Train". When Sam, Guy and the Chickeraffe make their escape from a car barreling down a cliff, it lands in a lake where it promptly crushes a house belonging to a family of fish. Later in the episode as the mother checks on her own children, she specifically lists them off as "one fish, two fish, red fish and blue fish".

A preschool animated series based One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish is in development for Netflix.[3]

In the 2022 horror film adaptation The Mean One, based on How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, the red fish and blue fish made an appearance in a fishbowl at the hospital.

In popular culture

Theme park attraction

One Fish, Two Fish,
Red Fish, Blue Fish
Location:Islands of Adventure
Theme:One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
Soft Opened:March 1999
Vehicle Type:Fish
Duration:3 min
Virtual Queue Image:Universal Express availability.svg
Virtual Queue Status:available

The book was the basis of a theme park attraction located at Universal's Islands of Adventure in the Seuss Landing area of the park, called "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish".

Selected translations

Notes and References

  1. All-Time Bestselling Children's Books. Roback. Diane. Britton. Jason. Turvey. Debbie Hochman. December 17, 2001. Publishers Weekly. 248. 51. January 22, 2013.
  2. Web site: Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children. National Education Association. 2007. August 22, 2012.
  3. Web site: Petski . Denise . Netflix Orders Five Dr. Seuss-Inspired Animated Preschool Series & Specials . Deadline . March 15, 2022 . March 15, 2022.
  4. Web site: SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES : YATES v. UNITED STATES . PDF. Supremecourt.gov. March 13, 2022.
  5. Book: Valentine. Johnny. Sarecky. Melody. One dad, two dads, brown dad, blue dads. Alyson Wonderland. Boston, MA. 1994. 1555832539.
  6. The literal English translation of the Hebrew title is Strange Things Happen in Books.