Santat, Dan. Fishboy Named . . . Sashimi, A. Dan Santat, Illus. Sashimi, bk 1. Roaring Brook Press, 04/2026. 160pp. Graphic. Trade $19.99. 978-1-250-35999-5. Paper $8.99. 978-1-250-36000-7. GRADES 2–3. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
In this graphic novel series opener, Sashimi is a fishboy hybrid searching for other fishpeople like him while posing as a student at the local middle school in Barnacle Bay, though he quickly discovers how hard it is to fit in. Dan Santat takes the fish-out-of-water premise to hilarious extremes as orange-skinned, big-eyed Sashimi insists he’s just like everyone else, even as he sweats water from his neck gills and frets that he needs “to blend in more.” Sly digs at the magic power of a teacher’s “Quiet Coyote” signal, school budget cuts, overflowing lost-and-found boxes, and underpaid staff will charm kid and adult readers. Sashimi as fishboy works as a metaphor for being new, different, or misunderstood, and the story encourages empathy and inclusion. Background characters are visibly diverse in skin color, hair color and style, with characters who appear Black, Asian, Latino, and White. The pared-down but vibrant art uses wildly expressive character reactions designed for laughs, offering an appealing frenetic, contained-chaos energy to the book. Humorous book elements include a vintage map of Barnacle Bay, a pirate-themed author bio, and endpages with Sashimi himself begging you to come back for the next installment. Hand this punny, funny delight of a series starter to fans of Wimpy Kid, Dog Man, or Hilo who are on the hunt for a new favorite series. Review based on an ARC.
Mandie Caroll—Common Sense Media