Go, Go Fish! (I'm Not Afraid of the Dark)

Go, Go Fish! (I'm Not Afraid of the Dark), by Dandi Daley Mackall, is a biblically based book for children who battle with fears - especially fear of the dark. In this book, we meet a fish called Filipe, who lives in the Sea of Galilee. He confesses that he's afraid of the light:

"Light makes shadows," I thought,
Spooky shapes on my fin.
I'll just swim way down here
Where no light will creep in."

But one day another fish convinces Filipe to play near the surface of the water, saying it's nighttime and there's no light out. But when Filipe reaches the surface, he sees lots of light - and Jesus Christ walking on top of the water. A storm comes up and Filipe is so frightened of the light, of the storm, and of Jesus walking on water, he's frozen with fear. Filipe prays: "Lord, save me!" Jesus replies: "If you trust me...there's nothing to fear." Jesus calms the ocean and the sky and Filipe vows to "never again be afraid of the light." He concludes:

"So when you go to bed and they turn out the light,
Trust in Jesus to help, and he'll make it all right!"

What I Like: I really appreciate the biblical approach to a common childhood difficulty; I wish there were more books like this! The illustrations by Elena Kucharik are also charming, with colorful, cute characters.

What I Dislike: The text, which is in rhyme, is sometimes a tad awkward.

Overall Rating: Very Good.

Age Appeal: According to the publisher, 4 to 8, but my 2 year old also likes it.

Publishing Info: Thomas Nelson, 2002; ISBN: 0849977517; hard back, $6.99.

Buy Now at Christianbook.com for $5.49.

Special Info: Some parents may object to the fact that illustrations of Jesus (including his face) appear in this book. Click here to read our review of another book in this series, titled Don't Cry, Lion.