Anemone Is Not The Enemy

Anemone lives in a rockpool but is rather lonely. She has a bit of a reputation for stinging the fish and sea creatures that venture near her. So much so that the fish would rather take their chances out at sea with the big predators there – sharks, octopi, eels and rays.

Yet when a clownfish ventures into the Anemone’s pink tentacles, she’s completely unaffected by a sting. Could Anemone have found a friend?

This sweet and informative picture book simply explains the concept of natural symbiosis for young readers: namely, that in nature, some animals are natural “friends” and have a give-and-take relationship with each other. At the end of the book, we learn that clownfish are immune to sea anemones’ poisonous tentacles, and anemones provide clownfish with protection from predators. In return, clownfish clean sea anemones by eating algae and other food scraps off them.

Anna McGregor’s appealing and clearly laid out illustration makes the most of the shocking pink of the anemone to create very pretty spreads, showing how rockpools work in a simple and effective way. There are some nice humorous touches here and there, like captions applied to a nearby crab, and a simple text that manages to be both story and fact too.