One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
{{Short description|1960 children's book by Dr. Seuss}}
{{Infobox book
| name = One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
| translator =
| image = One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish (cover art).jpg
| caption = Front cover, designed by Dr. Seuss
| author = Dr. Seuss
| cover_artist =
| country = United States
| language = English
| series =
| genre = Children's literature
| publisher = Random House, The Living Books Company (1998)
| pub_date = March 12, 1960https://www.seussville.com/book/43109/one-fish-two-fish-red-fish-blue-fish/
| pages =
| isbn =
| oclc = 184473
| preceded_by = Happy Birthday to You!
| followed_by = Green Eggs and Ham
| illustrator = Dr. Seuss
}}
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish (stylized as One fish two fish red fish blue fish) is a 1960 children's book by Dr. Seuss. As of 2001, over six million copies of the book had been sold, placing it 13th on a list of "All-Time Bestselling Children's Books" from Publishers Weekly.{{cite journal|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/20011217/28595-all-time-bestselling-children-s-books.html|title=All-Time Bestselling Children's Books|last1=Roback|first1=Diane|last2=Britton|first2=Jason|last3=Turvey|first3=Debbie Hochman|date=December 17, 2001|journal=Publishers Weekly|volume=248|issue=51|access-date=January 22, 2013}} Based on a 2007 online poll, the United States' National Education Association labor union listed the book as one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children".{{cite web|url=http://www.nea.org/grants/13154.htm/|title=Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children|author=National Education Association|year=2007|access-date=August 22, 2012}}
It is a simple rhyming book for beginning readers, with a freewheeling plot about a boy and a girl named Jay and Kay and the many amazing creatures they have for friends and pets. Interspersed are some surreal and unrelated skits, such as a man named Ned whose feet stick out from his bed, a creature who has a bird in his ear, and one man named Joe who cannot hear the other man's call because of a mouse cutting the line.
Audio and video versions
Rik Mayall narrated this story as part of a HarperCollins audiobook that also includes The Lorax, Dr. Seuss's ABC and How the Grinch Stole Christmas!.
In other media
In the animated adaptation of Green Eggs and Ham, the titular fish are featured in the beginning of the episode "Train". When Sam, Guy and the Chickeraffe make their escape from a car barreling down a cliff, it lands in a lake where it promptly crushes a house belonging to a family of fish. Later in the episode as the mother checks on her own children, she specifically lists them off as "one fish, two fish, red fish and blue fish".
A preschool animated series based on One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish is in development for Netflix.{{cite web |last1=Petski |first1=Denise |title=Netflix Orders Five Dr. Seuss-Inspired Animated Preschool Series & Specials |url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/netflix-orders-five-dr-seuss-inspired-animated-preschool-series-specials-1234978854/ |website=Deadline |access-date=March 15, 2022 |date=March 15, 2022}} It is a 2D flash-animated series. An episode of the series was previewed as part of Netflix's Summer Playlist in June 2025.https://www.netflix.com/title/82049497 The series will be released in fall 2025.{{cite web|last=Lang|first=Jamie|title='Minecraft,' 'Clash of Clans,' 'Magic the Gathering' and 'Ghostbusters' Series Teased at Netflix Annecy Studio Focus|url=https://variety.com/2025/tv/global/minecraft-clash-of-clans-magic-the-gathering-netflix-1236429388/|website=Variety|date=June 11, 2025|access-date=June 11, 2025}}{{cite web|last=Milligan|first=Mercedes|url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/2025/06/netflix-lines-up-a-fully-animated-slate-thru-2025/|title=Netflix Lines Up a Lively Animated Feature and Series Slate Thru 2025|website=Animation Magazine|date=June 18, 2025|access-date=June 18, 2025}}
In the 2022 horror film adaptation The Mean One, based on How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, the red fish and blue fish made an appearance in a fishbowl at the hospital.
In popular culture
{{trivia|date=June 2023}}
- In the Supreme Court case, Yates v. United States (2015), Justice Elena Kagan cited the book in her dissent to support the argument that fish are tangible objects as defined in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.{{cite web|url=https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/14pdf/13-7451_m64o.pdf|format=PDF|title=SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES : YATES v. UNITED STATES |website=Supremecourt.gov|access-date=March 13, 2022}}
- A book titled One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dads was published in 1994, a parody of the title.{{cite book|last1=Valentine|first1=Johnny|last2=Sarecky|first2=Melody|title=One dad, two dads, brown dad, blue dads|publisher=Alyson Wonderland|location=Boston, MA|year=1994|isbn=1555832539}}
- The title of the 1991 episode of The Simpsons "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish" is a clear parody of the title.
- In the Season 5 episode of The Big Bang Theory titled "The Good Guy Fluctuation", Sheldon observes that "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" might be surprisingly applicable to Leonard's sexual fidelity dilemma.
- The hook of rapper Chief Keef's 2015 single "Colors" parodies the title of the story.
- Similarly, the 2017 song "1 Thot 2 Thot Red Thot Blue Thot" by rap artist Yung Gravy draws from the story's title parodically.
Theme park attraction
{{Infobox attraction
|name=One Fish, Two Fish,
Red Fish, Blue Fish
|logo=
|image=OneFishTwoFishRedFishBlueFishEntrance.JPG
|caption=Entrance of the One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish ride at Islands of Adventure.
|location= Universal Islands of Adventure
|section=Seuss Landing
|designer=
|manufacturer=
|type=Water Ride
|theme=One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
|soft_opened=March 1999
|opened={{Start date|1999|5|28}}
|closed=
|vehicle_type=Fish
|riders_per_vehicle=
|rows=
|riders_per_row=
|duration=3 min
|length_ft=
|height_ft=
|speed_mph=
|restriction_in=
|launch_count=
|lift-count=
|virtual_queue_name = Universal Express
|virtual_queue_image = Universal Express availability.svg
|virtual_queue_status =available
|single_rider=
|custom_label_2=
|custom_value_2=
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|custom_value_8=
}}
The book was the basis of a theme park attraction located at Universal Islands of Adventure in the Seuss Landing area of the park, called "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish".
Selected translations
- Visje een visje twee visje visje in de zee (1972, Dutch, {{ISBN|9024002958}})
- דברים מוזרים קורים בספרים (1980, Hebrew)The literal English translation of the Hebrew title is Strange Things Happen in Books.
- 一条鱼，两条鱼，红色的鱼，蓝色的鱼 (1992, Chinese (Simplified), {{ISBN|9573211246}})
- Un pez, dos peces, pez rojo, pez azul (2006, Spanish, {{ISBN|1930332831}})
- Eyn fish, tsvey fish, royter fish, bloyer fish (2007, Yiddish, {{ISBN|9780972693936}})
- Poisson un, poisson deux, poisson rouge, poisson bleu (2011, French, {{ISBN|9781612430294}})
References
{{reflist}}
{{Portal |Children's literature}}
{{Universal Islands of Adventure}}
{{Dr. Seuss}}
Category:1960 children's books
Category:American picture books
Category:Universal Islands of Adventure
Category:Children's books about fish
Category:Universal Destinations & Experiences attractions by name
Category:Amusement rides introduced in 1999