ALA Booklist (Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2016)

The Pout-Pout Fish has weathered many adventures, from braving the shadowy sea floor (Pout-Pout Fish in the Big-Big Dark, 2010) to first-day-of-school nerves (Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School, 2014), but he's never really left home, until now 's taking a vacation! Though Mr. Fish encounters obstacles and unforeseen circumstances en route to his destination, his cheery mantra keeps him moving: "I'm a fish who loves to travel. / I'm a fish who loves to roam. / And I'm having an adventure / On my trip away from home!" He misses his friends, of course, but he soon comes to appreciate the value of seeing exciting things and sharing them with loved ones once he's back home. Hanna's imaginative undersea realm is nicely rendered in soft hues and populated with cartoonish marine life. Though the rhyming verses don't always scan, fans of Diesen and Hanna's well-loved character will be happy to see yet another outing for the goggle-eyed fish, his aquatic friends, and a warm message in a snappy refrain. For libraries where the series is popular.

Horn Book (Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

While on his first-ever vacation, Mr. Fish finds that nothing goes according to plan: he hits an underwater detour, finds his snack bag empty, etc. Happily, at every crisis point a fellow sea creature offers help; finally, Mr. Fish helps himself. With this fifth Pout-Pout book, neither Diesen's irreproachable rhymes nor Hanna's detailed illustrations show signs of water damage.

Kirkus Reviews

Curious Mr. Fish learns a lot on a vacation adventure, especially about life. Mr. Fish plans obsessively for his very first vacation, but troubles abound on his journey. First, he gets lost, then he finds his snack bag empty, and then an overstuffed piece of luggage pops open. A friendly octopus suggests an alternate route, an eel directs him to a "briny-good diner," and a crab helps him get to a rest stop to reload his suitcases. He finally reaches his destination—HelloStone Park Lodge—and knows he's going to have a great time. But when he unpacks, he realizes, "I forgot my snoozy-snuggly! / My vacation's a disaster!" Now Mr. Fish wants to go home. Then he takes a deep breath, and "a thought reache[s] out / all the way across the ocean": though he and his pals miss one another, they will also remember one another. Feeling warm and snug with love, Mr. Fish sleeps soundly. The next day, he dives into all manner of "fin-tastic" fun. Back home, he reflects on his trip. "Not every single part / Of a trip goes swell, / But the detours and the bumps / Are the trip as well." Diesen's loose verse unfurls per series formula, but Hanna has some fun with the illustrations. His sea creatures are wonderfully expressive, and the situations Mr. Fish finds himself in offer some chuckles, as with a 90-degree vertical cliff that's simply signaled "sharp turn ahead." Fans will love it. (Picture book. 3-6)