The Very Hungry Frogfish

By Kathy Kranking; Photos by Tony Wu; Art by John Gallagher and Rich Faber

Can hungry Harry find a meal that’s just right for a frogfish? 

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Meet Harry. He walks along the ocean floor, using his fins as feet. And right now he’s on the lookout for. . . lunch!

Harry finds a flounder hiding under the sand. No way can he eat that! Harry’s mouth is big, but not that big!

Harry keeps walking. Ah, this shrimp looks more bite-sized. Harry wriggles his built-in lure to attract it.

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Before Harry can grab the shrimp, it zips away.

The flounder was too big. The shrimp was too fast. And now Harry is very frustrated.

But then Harry comes upon a long, skinny pipefish. It looks like an easy-enough meal.

Harry lunges forward and clamps his jaws down on the pipefish.

But the pipefish does not want to become Harry’s lunch! It twists. Harry twists. It spins. Until finally. . .

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Harry sucks in the pipefish as if it were a strand of spaghetti. But it’s more of a meal than he expected. Can he finish it?

Soon there is nothing left but the tail. And Harry sucks that in, too!

Now Harry is stuffed. Look at his big, full belly dragging along the bottom!

Happy and sleepy, Harry sees what he wants next. It’s an empty coconut shell—just the place for a nap!

And that’s the story of Harry. . .the very full frogfish!

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