"Some of the customers at Cindy's local pet store think the huge old catfish
in the too-small tank is funny. Not Cindy. She likes browsing through the
pet store -- but the plight of the big fish spoils it for her and she
eventually stops going altogether. And when she finds out the catfish
has died, she writes a long letter to the store's owner, telling him how
that catfish made her feel and asking him not to get another one.
But how can you have a pet store named the Catfish Palace without a catfish?
Not only the happy solution, but the very personal tone to this story and
Ruth Ohi's friendly, bright illustrations save it from being 'just' a
moral lesson. It's a warm, engaging tale -- with an inspiring message
about how individual actions can make a difference."
-- Today's Parent, April/94 p15
"The Catfish Palace was a pet store renowned for the size of its mascot.
The catfish himself lived in the bottom of a large tank which was, nevertheless,
just barely big enough for him.
Though the rest of the store was bright and friendly and the animals seemed
happy enough, lilttle Cindy was troubled by the catfish's cramped quarters.
She dreamed about it; she picked up bits of information about captured creatures;
she even fantasized about letting it go. But it was very old and any home
it might once have known was a long way off.
The catfish died, and Cindy had her chance to make a difference. She
wrote to the owners of the store and told them about her problem, asking
them to come up with a different way of dealing with their business's symbol.
Wonder of wonders, they did. The owners found a clever solution that allowed
them to retain their name and still have it make sense.
While life is perhaps not always so tidy, it does not hurt to have kids
think that it can be. Perhaps it will encourage them to seek positive solutions
later on in life."
-- The Whitehorse Star, Mar.31/95
