Guppy Up! by Jonathan Fenske

Reviewed by Lori
Guppy Up!
Title: Guppy Up!

Author: Jonathan Fenske

Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 67788

Description: Illustrations and simple rhyming text introduce a guppy with some unusual interests, such as shopping, mopping, and playing the guitar.










Curriculum Links: 

  • Kindergarten: Early Reading
  • Reading: Word Play and Spoonerisms (eg. Guppy sips on a drink, Guppy drips on a sink.)
  • Reading: Word Recognition
  • Science: Animals
  • Social Studies: Feelings
  • Art: Lines

Notes: 

Design: This is a typically designed early reader.  It was the bright orange on the cover that made me pick up the book and the title - Guppy Up! sounded a little like giddy up and I wondered what this fish would get up to.  This book is designed for an emergent reader so there is very little writing on each page and almost each sentence is limited to two words.  

Content and Illustrations:  This is one interesting guppy! For a book with few words this fish has a lot going on.  The illustrations are simple.  I would have preferred that single lines be used to illustrate guppy rather than the double or sometimes triple outlining.  I found that aspect too busy for me.  But the illustrations contain a good amount of humour and will get students to look closely at the word/illustration connections.  Eg. guppy gill, guppy tail, guppy hammer, guppy nail.  It looks like guppies aren't the best carpenters!  Similarly, the word selection has been designed for careful reading, eg. Guppy tip, guppy top, guppy ship, guppy shop, with the illustrations reinforcing the written words.  With such a charismatic guppy, this book could well become a classroom favourite.

Recommended Audience: Kindergarten and Grade 1.  
  • Early Emergent Readers.  
  • Ideal title for home and school reading connections
  • Humourous Read-Aloud or Read Together

Inquiries and Activities: 
  • What sorts of things does Guppy do?  What is your favourite?  Why?
  • Create your own set of rhymes for guppy to try.  (Eg. Guppy Day, Guppy Night, Guppy Stroll, Guppy Flight)
  • What is a Spoonerism?  Read Shel Silverstein's "Runny Babbit" with the class.   Don't witch your swords! (I mean, switch your words!)
  • How many words can your students create by changing just one letter?  (Eg. Night - Light, Band - Bend, Drip - Drop)
  • Draw your own Guppy.  What is he doing?
  • Give Guppy a Name.  Write down the top five suggestions.  Do a class vote to select the best name for guppy.  Create a bar graph to represent how the students have voted.
  • If you're able, keep a goldfish in your class and have students help care for the fish.  What sorts of things are needed to care for a pet fish.

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