I received this book as a gift. Thankfully, I read it to my 3 month old twins so they really couldn't understand it. The moral of this book goes against everything we teach our kids about being themselves and making friends. What this book tells kids is that if you give others "your most valuable possessions" they will be your friends, and that everyone should look the same. I was dumbfounded when I read this book. All the other fish (that looked the same) shunned the fish that was different because it wouldn't give the other fish it's shinny scales. The idea of the fish taking off pieces of his flesh and body to make friends and discontinue to be exiled is disturbing. These are not the morals I want to teach my kids. I will never read The Rainbow Fish to my kids again.