The Pout-Pout Fish

By: Deborah Diesen

Words to pre-teach (feelings sorting activity):

 Pout, gloomy, ever present, dreary, weary, clam, pearl of advice, tentacles, locomotion,
scowl, grimace, slender, squelch, kaleidoscope, mope, sulking, glum, shimmer,
astounded, aghast, stone faced

Transcript of book with questions embedded:

1. Tell me what you see on the cover of this book.

2. What do you think this story will be about?
“Deep in the water where the fish hang out lives a glum gloomy swimmer with an ever-present
pout”
3. How do you think the fish is feeling? Why?
“I’m a pout-pout fish with a pout-pout face, so I spread the dreary-wearies all over the place.
Blub. Bluuub. Bluuuuuuub.”
4. What is the fish doing?
“Along comes a clam with a wide winning grin and a pearl of advice for her pal to take in: ‘Hey
Mr. Fish, with your crosstown frown, don’t you think it’s time to turn it upside down?’”
5. What is the clam telling the fish? What does the fish say?
“Says the fish to his friend, “Nice thought, Ms. Clam. I hear what you’re saying, but it’s just the
way I am.”
6. Who controls your feelings?
“I’m a pout-pout fish with a pout-pout face, so I spread the dreary-wearies all over the place.
Blub. Bluuub. Bluuuuuuub.”
7. What happened to the fish? Where did he fall?
“Along comes a jellyfish. He floats through the ocean, his tentacles all trailing in a gentle
locomotion. ‘Hey Mr. Fish, with your daily scaly scowl, I wish you wouldn’t greet us with a
grimace and a growl.’ Says thee fish to his friend, “Mr. Jelly, I agree. I’d like to be more friendly,
but it isn’t up to me.”
8. How did the pout-pout fish make the jellyfish feel?
“I’m a pout-pout fish with a pout-pout face, so I spread the dreary-wearies all over the place.
Blub. Bluuub. Bluuuuuuub.”
9. What happens while he’s pouting?
“Along comes a squid, quite a slender squiggly sight. She is squirmy, she is squelchy, she is
simply impolite.”
10. What do you think the squid is going to say to the pout-pout fish?
“’Hey Mr. Fish, you kaleidoscope of a mope, How about a smile? A little joy? A little hope?’ Says
the fish to his friend “Mrs. Squid, I would try, but I haven’t any choice. Take a look and you’ll see
why. I’m a pout-pout fish with a pout-pout face, so I spread the dreary-wearies all over the
place. Blub. Bluuub. Bluuuuuuub.”
11. What happens while he’s pouting?
“’Along comes an octopus with eight great arms covered on the underside with tiny sucker
charms. “Hey, Mr. Fish, let me tell it too you straight. Your hulky-bulky sulking is an unattractive
trait!’ Says the fish to his friend, “Mr. Eight, my chum, with a mouth like mine I am destined to
be glum”
12. What do you notice about his mouth? Show me what a pout looks like.
“I’m a pout-pout fish with a pout-pout face, so I spread the dreary-wearies all over the place.
Blub. Bluuub. Bluuuuuuub.”
13. What happens while he’s pouting?
“Now comes along a fish in a silent silver shimmer. The gang has never seen before this bright
and brilliant swimmer. She approaches Mr.Fish but instead of saying hey...”
14. What do you think will the shimmery fish do?
“She plants a kiss upon his pout and then she swims away.”
15. Why would she give him a kiss?
16. How do you think the pout-pout fish feels?
“Mr. Fish is most astounded. Mr. Fish is just aghast. He is stone-faced like a statue. Then he
blinks, and speaks at last. ‘My friends,’ says Mr. Fish ‘I should have known all along I thought I
was pouty, but it turns out I was wrong.”
17. What is Mr. Fish going to do?
18. Why was he wrong?
“’I’m a kiss-kiss fish with a kiss-kiss face for spreading cheery-cheeries all over the place!’”
19. What changed his mind? Why?
“’So I’ll smooch, smooch, smooch, smooch, smooooooooch!”
20. How is Mr. Fish feeling now?
21. How do you think the other animals feel now that Mr. Fish isn’t pouring?
22. What are some things we can do to help our friends feel better when they’re feeling
sad?