"Swimmy" Leo Lionni - 1993
This beautifully illustrated ocean fable follows a tiny, uniquely ink-black fish who is the sole survivor after a fierce, hungry tuna swallows his entire school of little red brothers and sisters. Forced to wander the vast, intimidating deep sea completely alone, he manages to overcome his crushing grief by marveling at an array of wondrous marine creatures, including rainbow-colored jellyfish, giant lobsters, and sugar-candy seaweed forests. He eventually encounters a new school of little red fish identical to his lost family, but they are paralyzed by fear, hiding deep within the dark shadows of a rocky reef to avoid being eaten by predators. Recognizing that a life lived entirely in hiding is no life at all, he devises a brilliant, collaborative solution. He trains the thousands of scattered individuals to swim in a tight, synchronized formation that takes the shape of one gargantuan fish, taking on the crucial leadership role of the giant creature's watchful eye. By working as a collective unit, the small fish successfully chase the ocean's apex predators away, celebrating a triumphant victory for teamwork and visual strategy over brute force
 
Collation / Page Count: Complete