DON'T TRUST FISH

Author Neil Sharpson narrates his first picture book, an apparent nonfiction work about animal classes. There's a curious undercurrent of edginess that Sharpson strengthens into a predominant tone with the repeated refrain: "Don't trust fish." Not only do fish defy categorization, they eat "poor innocent crabs who are just trying to have a nice time in the sea." This is only one of the clues to the identity of the unidentified storyteller. Fabulous detours allow Sharpson to deliver pirate speak, fishy baby talk, ferocious and funny conspiracy theories, and storytelling that fills in for Dan Santat's illustrations. Sharpson's audio clues are subtle, silly, and sure to suck in listeners. The production has a second story for listeners who are turning pages with their "weird fleshy human fingers." S.W. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2025]