JEFF THE GOLDFISH

A goldfish languishes in his fishbowl until a companion arrives in Baer’s picture book.

Jeff the Goldfish vividly remembers the day when a net swooped down and separated him from his family and friends in an outdoor pond, and he has flashbacks whenever Mrs. Jones changes the water in his bowl. Jeff’s current life is bleak: He’s lonely, has little to do, and the Jones children often tap on his bowl, which infuriates him. Feline Pebbles routinely tries to eat him, and dog Ralph once knocked his bowl to the floor. Jeff’s vulnerability and inability to act on anger may feel familiar to children. However, it’s not entirely clear if Baer intends Jeff’s misfortune to provoke empathy, as Peres’ full-color cartoon illustrations are mostly comedic. Still, the text contains some gravitas, which will prompt children to discuss the ethical pitfalls of keeping animals as pets. Despite Jeff’s grim situation, when a fish named Cindy, sporting lipstick and thick eyelashes, is added to the bowl, Jeff takes abundant joy in her appearance (“I think, ‘Hubba Hubba!’ ”). However, Cindy doesn’t speak, smiles blandly, and doesn’t seem troubled by the existential problems Jeff faces. This undermines a potentially poignant conclusion about the value of companionship in difficult times.

An intriguing but flawed reflection on animal suffering.