The fact that someone has something I don’t have, or has more of something I do have, may mean they are in a position of privilege - but it doesn’t mean I have a right to ask to them to share.
However, if one replaces the rainbow scales with something more innocuous, like chocolate chip cookies, I don’t think the book is teaching a good lesson. This is clearly weird and rude and invasive, and if someone started asking me to give them locks of my hair because they thought it was just so lovely and they wanted some of it to make a wig so they could look lovely, too, I would be rightfully creeped out and maybe look into getting a restraining order out of fear this person would jump me with a pair of scissors. One could argue that the book is just a metaphor, and readers needn’t be disturbed by the fact that fish are literally asking for pieces of the Rainbow Fish’s body - and that Rainbow Fish ultimately gives in to their demands. Once the other fish start badgering him to ask him to give them some of his rainbow scales, however, they are the ones who are in the wrong. It’s easy to see why other fish, even if initially drawn by his beauty, might not find it fun to hang out with him. He starts the story vain of his own unique glittering scales he seems to think himself a bit better than the other less beautiful fish and spend a lot of time hoping other fish will admire him. Rainbow Fish is, of course, not without his own faults. But the actual text of The Rainbow Fish never came across as a feel-good story to me, but rather as a disturbing tale where a fish is bullied into literally pulling off pieces of his body to “share” with other who are jealous of him. The Rainbow Fish ranks high with The Giving Tree on my list of books that well-meaning adults think demonstrate good morals and teach children to help and share with others. And, bonus, the illustrations are beautiful, with actual shiny metallic scales on every page. Telling the story of a fish who has a bunch of beautiful rainbow scales that the other, plainer fish envy until Rainbow Fish decides to give away all of his glittering scales except one, the story is presented as a lesson on sharing.
Marcus Pfister’s The Rainbow Fish is a picture book classic, read to children every year by excited parents, grandparents, and teachers.
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