Cue the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack—X is for X-Ray Fish is here to turn the alphabet into a sunken-ship scavenger hunt! Imagine Finding Nemo meets Scooby-Doo, but with fish that look like glowstick skeletons (page 12: X-ray shrimp doing the Macarena?!). Marc Pattenden’s art? Pure undersea eye candy—dolphins wearing sailor hats, turtles breakdancing on coral, and hidden “X” marks glowing like neon treasure maps! 🗺️🔍

Why this book’s a fin-tastic splash hit:

• “X” X-TREME: Kids gasp at X-ray fish (“Where’s their LUNCH??”) and chant X-tra words like “XXX-OXYGEN!” (OK, maybe not). Bonus: Sneaky phonics—digs into “fox,” “axolotl,” and “X marks the Mom’s lost keys.”
• Ocean Oddballs: Introduces a jellyfish DJ (page 7, tentacles on turntables!) and a crab who moonlights as a ✨sandcastle architect✨.
• Rhyme Rodeo: Battles tongue-twisters like “X-Ray Fish in a aqua-socks, dancing around a treasure box!” (Grand prize: A rubber ducky crown).

Missed pearl? No DIY X-ray vision goggles (Parents, grab toilet paper tubes + cellophane = instant ocean spy gear!). Prepare for: “CAN WE GET A SEE-THROUGH PET??” (Lifehack: Tape a paper skeleton to a goldfish bowl. Boom—Fossil Fish.) Teachers, steal these curriculum jewels:

1. Snack-time X-ploration: Use pretzel sticks to spell “X” on rice cakes (carb-struction!).
2. Science swagger: Compare “x-ray fish vs. glow-in-the-dark stickers” (spoiler: Fish don’t stick to ceilings).
3. Phonics pirate games: Hide letter “X” clues around the room—arrr, learnin’ be treasure!