Official Review: The Fisherman and his Foundlings

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CataclysmicKnight
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Official Review: The Fisherman and his Foundlings

Post by CataclysmicKnight »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Fisherman and his Foundlings" by Phillip Leighton-Daly.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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Never underestimate the effect that one good person can have on the world. Serving as a reminder of that is the role the titular fisherman plays in The Fisherman and His Foundlings by Phillip Leighton-Daly. The death of his wife 10 years ago hasn't stopped him from completing his daily routine of fishing and bringing part of his catch to a leper colony. He's loved by everyone there not only because of the bounty he brings with him but also because of his good works and kindness.

The journey to the leper colony isn't the most treacherous part of the old man's journey. The waters where he does his fishing, especially when the winds pick up and a maelstrom forms. But even a maelstrom is tame compared to the merfolk that hide beneath the water. All of the merfolk hate the "land folk" aside from one, a young merchild who pities the old man. For her pity, she's sent to the land as bait for the old man. Will his kindness cost him his life?

I really enjoyed the story of The Fisherman and His Foundlings. Phillip did a remarkable job of showing a good, hardworking man and how much he changed the world around him. He also pointed out the hypocrisy of the merfolk who hated the land folk for stealing treasure from the oceans despite their own greed and bloodlust.

The artwork in the book is excellent as well. JRaphael Edmundo Honasan did an awesome job with capturing the treacherous landscapes, the beauty of the sea, the excitement of the people at the leper colony, and the assortment of characters. The writing is equally capable of painting the scenes throughout, and pairing them together is a sensory delight.

While The Fisherman and His Foundlings appears to be a children's book and it's recommended for kids in 2nd and 3rd grade, this is not a book children can read on their own. On the first and second pages alone I came across 9 words that would befuddle children of that age. I had to look the word "spume" up myself! I ran the first page through Grammarly, and it said that it's "likely to be understood by a reader who has at least a 7th-grade education (age 12)." As such, while this is a picture book, I wouldn't recommend it for younger children unless you want to help improve their vocabulary and are willing to read it with them.

My rating of The Fisherman and His Foundlings is 4 out of 4 stars. I'd recommend it for the encouragement to be a good person alone, but the writing and art are both excellent. There were moments of tension, kindness, joy, sadness, and fear, all of which are captured equally well. I did find a single error: the name "Peter" is mentioned but isn't capitalized. Going with the age recommendations from the previous paragraph, I'd suggest it to anyone who wants to instill kindness in their children or loves fishing, nature, a bit of fantasy, or water.

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The Fisherman and his Foundlings
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Rachel Lea
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Post by Rachel Lea »

What an interesting story plot! I love that the book is also well-written and well-edited. Thank you for your review!
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Post by Adina Lutinger »

Sounds like a very beautiful book I would like to read. Thank you very much for your review!
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Post by spluficvictory »

I love the themes that were explored by the author and the message it tries to pass across to children. It sounds like an interesting book I could gift out to my little niece. Thanks for the review. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
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Post by Falconcrest »

I remember when growing up my mother would tell us stories about the "mermen and mermaids". Those stories had a profound effect on me. I am extremely interested in the theme of this book and plot. Thanks for the great review.
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Walter Onuorah
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Post by Walter Onuorah »

Very big message to the world especially me, even with the lost of his wife he never stop pushing, and with his kindness the life became easier well written.
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MustaHarleen
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Post by MustaHarleen »

I might be an adult but I must read this one. I want to understand if the merchild ultimately betrayed the kind fisherman. I love the storyline. The vocabularies are okay because children need to learn new words. Thanks for an amazing review.
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Post by Ogoskino »

I also read this book and I found it to be very interesting. Great review!
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Post by Ria710 »

Sounds like a very interesting book. I love the colours used in the cover.
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Adanna Inya
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Post by Adanna Inya »

Kindness pays. And even if it sometimes becomes our undoing, we should never desist. I hope the pity and likeness that the merchild feels for the old man supersedes her mission. I love that the book was well edited and the plot is relatable. Beautiful review.
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Anusha Thatavarthi
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Post by Anusha Thatavarthi »

This book seems to be truly unique. While every story concentrates on showing merfolk as innocent creatures, I like how the author twisted that point of view around. This a very detailed and good review.
Theresa Moffitt
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Post by Theresa Moffitt »

This sounds like an interesting book with a good message of kindness. The illustrations sound like they really add to the story. Great review!
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Post by Yere123 »

This book is definitely wonderful for young kids as it teaches values of kindness and generosity. The only error mentioned appears to be a minor one and hence is a great learning tool.
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Post by Scerakor »

The Fisherman and His Foundlings sounds like a great children's book with an outstanding messages and themes!
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Gabrielle Sigaki
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Post by Gabrielle Sigaki »

The plot of this book sounds really good. The pictures are beautiful and caught my eye when I saw this book. An interesting story, it seems to have a lot of adventures. Thanks for the great review!
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