Dive into a delightful underwater adventure and discover the magic of friendship.

When Goby the fish and Snappy the shrimp meet by chance, an unexpected bond begins to grow — one that could change everything.

Join them beneath the waves in a heartwarming tale about trust, teamwork, and finding joy where you least expect it.

Eden Ayash is a children’s author, former teacher, and lifelong lover of stories. She holds an M.Phil. in Children’s Literature from Trinity College Dublin and dreams of inspiring young readers to explore, question, and wonder. When she’s not writing, Eden can be found adventuring to new destinations, getting lost in magical stories, or dancing in the rain. The Tale of Goby and Snappy and How to Be Happy is her first picture book.

Customer Reviews

4.7

3 reviews

Ioanna Kormouli

It's an incredible story. This is my review. ARC Review The Tale of Goby and Snappy and How to Be Happy by Eden Ayash Goby was a grumpy and a bit snobby fish who thought he could do everything on his own. All the other fish told him that he should make friends and ask for help, but he was adamant that he was perfectly fine on his own. When Goby started building his home, a stranger shrimp named Snappy came along and offered to help. Goby immediately declined, but Snappy, the jolly chap that he was, came back the next day and helped anyway. Soon, they became friends, and Goby realized how wrong he was to think that he was better off alone. This is such a fun and heartwarming story. It's the perfect book to show little readers how important friendship is and that it's okay to ask for or accept help from others. It's written in simple English and has rhymes, which makes it even more fun to read. The illustrations were amazing and are perfect for little kids, especially those who don't know how to read yet. They really help bring the story to life. I highly recommend this book for young readers. I would definitely buy it as a gift as well. It's a sweet little story with a lovely message about friendship, kindness, and learning that we don't always have to do everything on our own.
Mary

Goby the fish is perfectly content living on his own, vehemently turning down friendship or assistance from anyone around while steadfastly maintaining a grumpy disposition. Everything changes one day, however, when Snappy the shrimp unrelentingly offers to help Goby build his new home. Begrudgingly, Goby agrees to this arrangement, especially as Snappy’s construction prowess becomes evident. And when the two discover that Goby can help protect Snappy from predators, they come to develop a symbiotic friendship that will serve them for years to come. This whimsical story introduces readers to two real-life creatures that work together, goby fish and snapping shrimp, through a rhyming, cartoon-like adventure. Rhythmic text carries through the narrative, utilizing frequent rhymes to enhance the readability of the book while strengthening phonological awareness in young readers. Though the meter is not always consistent, the sing-song delivery of the narrative makes the story enjoyable to read aloud. The most prominent feature of the book is the imagery, incorporating detailed, entertaining illustrations that showcase anthropomorphic sea creatures in a robust underwater environment. Watercolor hues and fairy-tale imagery will delight young readers as they explore each elaborate spread. An author’s note at the end describes the real-life relationship between goby fish and snapping shrimp, adding to the learning possible through this book. At once a charming story about friendship and a delightful undersea exploration, this book is a fun addition to library collections for preschool and young elementary school-aged readers.
Dor Avrahami Liberman

Beautiful book for kids! I really recommend getting one for any family.