Point of View

This novel is written from Fish Girl's first-person point of view, and the narration is written in text boxes within individual panels. The narration is in present tense, since it involves Fish Girl’s thoughts as the events of the novel transpire. This narration is consistent throughout the novel, except the first couple of pages which include first-person narration from Neptune’s perspective. This is because Napoli uses Neptune to introduce the aquarium as the main setting of the novel.

Language and Meaning

Napoli uses a simple vocabulary in order to appeal to the target audience of young teenagers. She refrains from using complex words because the majority of the imagery in this novel is expressed through Wiesner’s illustrations, so the only text required in the novel is dialogue and inner thoughts. Since the characters that speak in this novel are mostly young children...