Can I Give You a Squish?

March 15, 2020
A lesson in consent delivered under the sea. Kai is an affectionate merboy with light brown skin on his torso and an orange-scaled fish tale. He lives under the sea with his mermaid mama, who shares his skin color but has a silvery tail and flowing, white tresses instead of his blue-black hair. She warmly welcomes her son's "squishes," the text's word for hugs, which seems ideally suited to the aquatic setting. In fact, lots of sea creatures enjoy Kai's squishes, including an octopus, a lobster, and a dolphin. But when Kai swims up behind a puffer fish and gives it a squish, the startled fish puffs up alarmingly. Kai feels terrible about this turn of events, and his friends help him figure out how to make amends and do better next time. Ensuing pages show Kai and his friends asking for and then giving fin bumps, tail claps, and tentacle shakes. Humor, especially when the crab asks, "Does anybody want a claw pinch?" helps the intentionally instructive text avoid preachiness. Likewise, the tropical palette and rounded cartoon-style characters create a playful sensibility from one page to the next. Unfortunately, the story does not explicitly validate the right to refuse any contact at all. A mostly nifty vehicle to teach little ones about personal space, respect, consent, and bodily autonomy. (Picture book. 3-6)

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May 1, 2020

PreS-K-Friendship can be complicated; sometimes, even the best intentions lead to undesired outcomes. Kai is a little merboy who loves giving squishes (hugs) to everyone and everything. One day, he travels around his undersea home and gives squishes to some kelp, a rock, some buried treasure, and one big group squish to his friends. But when he gets ready to give a squish to the puffer fish, instead of being friendly, the puffer fish becomes scared and upset. Together, Kai and his friends ponder other ways to greet the puffer fish. When a new greeting makes the puffer fish happy, it inspires the others to discuss their favorite alternatives to squishes, too. This book's simple message is powerful. The illustrations are well-designed, colorful, and richly detailed; all kinds of friendly sea creatures reside in Kai's world. The length of the text is perfect for young students who are learning about friendship and the idea that what is appropriate for one person may not be so for another. As readers observe the many greetings Kai and his friends share, they will no doubt be inspired to try these greetings and create others of their own. VERDICT This inclusive and heartwarming book is an essential addition to any library collection for young children.-Mary Lanni, formerly at Denver Public Library

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from June 22, 2020
In this subaqueous tale gently teaching consent and social interaction strategies, Kai, an affectionate merboy with light brown skin and a seaweed-esque swoop of dark hair, likes giving all his pals squishes to show he cares. But after Kai accidentally scares a small pufferfish with his enthusiastic hugging, Kai and his friends—a dolphin, a crab, and an octopus—come up with alternate ways to exhibit friendliness (“I like getting fin bumps!” says the pufferfish). Light- and movement-filled digital illustrations clearly portray each character’s emotions, offering young readers a visual lesson in empathy. The prose strikes a carefully executed balance between rhythm (“The rest of the morning, Kai gave out squishes./ He squelched some kelp,/ and squashed a rock”) and morals (“Every fish likes their own kind of squish!”), making for a reading experience that is both fun and educational. Ages 3–7.