a novel in vers
by Tamera Will Wissinger
illustrated by Matthew Cordell
Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. March 5, 2013.
120 pages. Intermediate novel in verse.
Sam is super excited to go fishing with his dad. He begins
preparing the night before by digging night crawlers and checking his tackle
box. Wait a minute...his tackle box is full of princesses and perfume! Lucy,
his annoying little sister has obviously been messing around with his stuff. You can
imagine his dismay when she gets up the next morning and begs their father to
take her fishing too. Sam knows the trip is ruined now! Sure enough, Lucy makes
a lot of noise and even sings to the fish! Yet somehow, she catches more fish
than Sam! As the day wears on, Sam learns that Lucy doesn't mean any harm and
their relationship and friendship grows.
This charming little story is told from three voices, Sam,
Lucy and the father, using numerous styles of poetry. It is wonderful how well
emotions and family dynamics can be demonstrated through just a few words. The
black and white illustrations are a fabulous addition, adding even more to the
characters. As an added bonus, there is a "Poet's Tackle Box"
included at the end. Here the reader will learn about all the techniques and
styles used within the book and how they can make their own poetry. This intermediate
chapter book will be fun and accessible to kids 2nd grade on up.
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