The Fish-Boy is an Inuit folktale about a merman (or merboy, to be precise) and Atlantic puffins. I think Puffins are super cute birds with colorful beaks and penguin-like bodies. 

A lonely man who makes a living by catching and selling fish meets the Fish-Boy during one of his trips. He doesn’t want to adopt the Fish-Boy but agrees when the little one says he’ll help catch more fish. The story goes on to show how the nearby villagers praise the man and Fish-Boy, then attack them because of their stupidity. Similar to other folklore, the Fish-Boy deals with several themes like goodness, respect, serving guests, etc. 

The illustrations are wonderful. The color scheme is just brilliant and suits the content on the page. Scenes inside a cozy dwelling have warm hues, while the outside world has white, blue, and icy shades. The Fish-Boy is adorable with his colorful tail and layered hairstyle. 

To summarize, Fish-Boy is a charming folktale from a faraway land with icy shores and lovely people. The glossary and additional information at the end of the book are icing on the cake. And did I mention the maps? So good! 

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Vanita Books and am voluntarily leaving a review.