reviews

edward is only a fish (1994) | kirkus review

When Mr. Billingsly leaves the bathwater running and locks himself out of the house, Edward the fish finally gets the vacation he has been longing for. As the water rises and fills the house, Edward swims from his fishbowl and begins to explore. He cleverly rids himself of Mr. B's 14 hungry cats--who can't swim--and then makes some rules for his new domain. First and foremost, Edward is the boss. He has a run-in with a fat cat who hangs around for a bite of seafood, but he escapes and once again rules his roost. Then Mr. B returns with the fire department and the mayor, who want to save his house. Mr. B asks them not to break down the door, to spare Edward's life and dignity (the shame of being caught in a net!) and he can see no alternative but to find a new place to live, since he can't swim. Edward thinks of life without his friend and decides that a vacation is nice, but Mr. B is more important, so he settles into his bowl and pulls the bathtub plug. Home alone with a piscine twist from newcomer Sincic. Kids will relate to Edward's initial frustration, his first intoxicating flush of freedom, and his final realization that ``the best part of vacation is coming home again.''

edward is only a fish (1994) | ny times

If you let yourself believe that Mr. Billingsly's bathtub overflowed, allowing Edward the fish a chance to be a hero, here's a funny, easy-to-read story about a fish rescuing 14 cats. It has a very happy ending and, for an implausible tale, plausible illustrations.

edward is only a fish (1994 | booklist

Playwright Sincic makes an uproarious debut as a children's author in a piece touched with comic timing and understatement. The adventure begins when Mr. Billingsly leaves the bathwater running while he steps outside to fetch a tangerine. He locks himself out, and as the water rises, Edward, a goldfish confined to a small bowl, begins the vacation he has longed for. Free to swim throughout the flooded house, Edward feasts on ice cream, bosses the toy train characters, and in a magnanimous gesture, rescues the hilariously duplicitous cats trapped on a hat rack. But after a close call with one of the cats, and realizing how much Mr. Billingsly misses him, Edward pulls the bathtub plug. He is rewarded with a huge aquarium named Lake Edward. The situation itself is funny, but it's Sincic's masterful turns of phrase and sly characterizations that give the tale the extra bite that adults can appreciate during a family read. The black-and-white illustrations have flashes of the same wry humor but overall seem a bit tame for Sincic's inventive text. [Julie Yates Walton]