The Boy Who Swam With Piranhas

The Boy Who Swam With Piranhas by David Almond, 234 pages

When Stan’s Uncle Ernie lost his job he decided to run his own fish canning business.  Since then, Stan hasn’t been to school because he and his Aunt Annie have been working for the business.  Although he’d rather be at school, Stan doesn’t mind working too much, until his birthday, when he gets the day off.  There is a fair in town and Stan comes back from the fair with a bunch of goldfish he rescued from the Hook-a-Duck stall.  That night his uncle cooks and cans all but one of the goldfish so Stan runs away with the fair.  There, he meets the famous Pancho Pirelli, who swims with piranhas.  Pancho thinks that Stan has what it takes to join him.  Although the story is kind of odd, because a lot of the adults in this book don’t act the way adults are expected to act, it ends up being a really good story, mostly true to life, but with just a hint of fantasy, since Stan seems to have the ability to talk to fish.  A lot of kids would like this book, especially since it is a pretty quick read and has pictures.