This book is pretty. "Beautifully illustrated?" Eh, maybe. But it's definitely one of those hidden message stories. Hiding under what appears to be just sharing, are a lot of themes I don't want to teach my child. The first time I read it, I knew I didn't like it much. Definitely seemed like buying friends or something like that, that just didn't settle well. I thought the other fish were the mean ones and forced the Rainbow fish into it. That didn't seem right. But the first time my husband read it, he LOST HIS MIND calling it socialist propaganda. Do I feel that strongly? No, but I believe his argument has definite credence to it. There are plenty of other books that teach sharing in a better way.