Swimmy+by+Leo+Lionni


 * Swimmy By Leo Lionni**
 * Bibliographic Data: **
 * Reading level: ** Ages 4 and up
 * Paperback: ** 32 pages
 * Publisher: ** Dragonfly Books (April 12, 1973)
 * Language: ** English
 * ISBN-10: ** 0394826205
 * ISBN-13: ** 978-0394826202

Leo Lionni was born on May 5, 1910in Holland. He grew up in Italywhere he was a well known painter. He moved to the United Statesin 1939 where he was an art director for advertising agencies. Then he moved back to Italyin 1960. In Italyhe started his career in writing and illustrating children’s books. In 1961 he wrote //Inch by Inch.// He has written more than 40 children’s books. He won the Caldecott Honor—for //Inch by Inch// (1961), //Swimmy// (1964), //Frederick// (1968), and //Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse// (1970). He died on October 11, 1999.
 * Author Biography**

Swimmy is the only tiny black fish in a school of red fish. Swimmy lives in the deep sea along other creatures. One day a giant tuna fish comes along and eats his brothers and sisters. The fish who is now sad and lonely swims through the sea and along his journey sees other creatures of the sea like beautiful rainbow fish, lobsters who walked like robots and eels with long tails. As he swims through the sea he sees a school of fish just like his own hiding in the shade of rocks and weeds. As he ask’s them to come out and explore the sea with him they tell him that they are too scared of the big fish. Swimmy soon comes up with a genius plan to overcome the big fish.
 * Summary**

This book is great for young readers because it teaches the readers about the importance of teamwork and creativity. Leo Lionni’s simple words make the book excellent for young readers to read. The illustrations also by Leo Lionni are like no other as they are simple, elegant but still different than other illustrators. His illustrations in Swimmy are so natural. Teachers can use the beautiful illustrations to do art projects of their own. Swimmy has won many awards including, Caldecott Honor Book, an ALA Notable Children’s Book and A New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book of the Year. I would recommend this book to children of the lower grades because has the themes of teamwork, creativity are evident throughout this book.
 * Review **

The theme of teamwork is most important in this book. It is important for younger children to learn to share and work together to accomplish a task. When students work together cooperatively classroom management is better and under control. Even as adults get older they will be put into situations where they will have to work with co workers and bosses to accomplish an assignment. When Swimmy sees a school of fish just like his own he gets excited and asks them to swim and play. In reply they say they can’t because the big fish will eat them. With Swimmy’s plan involving team work that fool the big fish. Team work was vital for the Swimmy and the school of fish to chase the big fish away. “ He taught them to swim close together, each in his own place, and when they had learned to swim like one giant fish, he said, “I’ll be the eye.” And so they swam in the cool morning water and in the midday sun and chased the big fish away” (31).
 * Analysis of literary elements **