Available October 7, 2025
A new Rainbow Fish story
Rainbow Fish and his friends have only ever heard stories about the nets that come through and take away shoals of fish from the ocean. Luckily, they’ve never had to experience that danger for themselves. All is peaceful until one day, Rainbow Fish and his friends come face to face with the trawling net.
Even though getting caught within the net is scary, Rainbow Fish and his friends are quick to act. With the help of crabs and lobsters nearby, they’re able to cut through the net and help everyone trapped within make their great escape.
This thrilling addition is a perfect example of quick problem solving and how to lean on one’s community in difficult situations.
Rainbow Fish and the Great Escape | by Marcus Pfister | translated by David Henry Wilson | $ 19.95 US / $ 26.95 CAD | 8.5 x 11 inches | 32 pages | ages 4 to 8 | ISBN: 978-0-7358-4590-9 | On sale October 7, 2025
Also available in Spanish: El Pez Arcoíris | by Marcus Pfister | translated by David Bowles | $ 19.95 US / $ 26.95 CAD | 8.5 x 11 inches | 32 pages | ages 4 to 8 | ISBN: 978-0-7358-4564-0 | On sale October 7, 2025
The Oceans and Sustainability
In Rainbow Fish's new adventure, for the first time, human intervention in nature causes great unrest and danger. It is Marcus Pfister's concern to convey the explosive topic of overfishing and trawl fishing in a child-friendly way. With his picture book, he wants to draw attention to nature conservation in an insistently and at the same time sensitive way and thus promote mindfulness for nature and the environment even among the little ones.
Our seas and oceans are a blue miracle. Their importance to humans is immense. They cover about 70% of the earth's surface and are therefore the largest habitat for animals and plants. The oceans provide us with food, produce oxygen, regulate the climate and are home to a huge biodiversity.
But the world's oceans are in danger due to pollution, man-made climate change and overfishing. In trawl fishing, a large net is pulled through the water from a ship. The seabed and the creatures living on it are also destroyed. There is a high proportion of bycatcher. This includes both juvenile fish and other species such as whales and dolphins. The agitated sediment layer on the seabed also releases organic carbon compounds, which are converted into climate-damaging carbon dioxide.
We have the opportunity to work towards sustainable and natural fishing. When buying fish, we should pay attention to quality seals for sustainable fishing. The most famous is the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) seal. There are shopping guides, for example from WWF, that offer practical everyday tips on an environmentally friendly selection of fish products.
If you want to learn more about overfishing of the seas, you can find information at WWF and Greenpeace.