A Million Fish...More or Less [Paperback]

Patricia McKissack (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Illus. in full color. In an original yarn of the Louisiana bayou, McKissack honors the tradition of bragging about the one that got away. Hugh Thomas hears that strange things happen on the Bayou Clapateaux, but he's skeptical--until he invents a fish story of his own.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Told with verve and sly wit," said PW in a starred review, "this exuberant bayou tale admirably captures the captivating regional cadences and comedy of [an] intrepid fisher boy's adventures.... A splendid collaboration." Ages 5-9.
- intrepid fisher boy's adventures.... A splendid collaboration." Ages 5-9.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-- When a black youngster, Hugh Thomas, goes fishing one morning, Papa-Daddy and Elder Abbajon row up like specters out of the mist. They delight and amaze the boy with tall tales, told in the vernacular, of giant turkeys and snakes, mysterious lamps, and strange happenings on the bayou. When they leave, Hugh Thomas embarks on an outlandish adventure of his own. He catches a million fish (more or less), divides his catch with a grand-pere alligator, again with a pack of pirate raccoons, crows, and finally some trickster cats. When he finally reaches Papa-Daddy and the Elder's houseboat, he has only three fish left, and a tale that surpasses theirs. McKissack understands the elements of good story, and includes just enough detail to make it work. Hugh Thomas accepts fantastic animals with ``an uncertain spirit,'' but tackles the problems they present to him, taking only a moment to wonder at their bizarre emergence from the swamp. He lives in an imaginative world that combines exotic realities of the bayou and slips almost imperceptibly into a fantasy that will bemuse readers as much as it does the boy. The vital, action-filled paintings seem naive at first glance. However, viewers will quickly see that each seemingly careless brush stroke works toward a harmoniously integrated whole. Uninhibited splashes of vivid colors highlight forms, fill the pages, and elicit a joyous emotional response to the dynamic human figures. A radiant debut for a talented illustrator. --Ruth Semrau, Lovejoy School, Allen, TX
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dragonfly Books (May 7, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679880860
• ISBN-13: 978-0679880868
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 0.1 x 10.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #479,932 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of My Favorites, September 16, 2007

By 

Freelancer (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Million Fish...More or Less (Paperback)

I had this book read to me back in the day. The author and illustrator make a dynamite team when it comes to presenting the concepts and twists in a vivid, clear manner. Any reader (child or adult) can appreciate the creative storyline and running irony. This introduction to Irony, and adult concept, is something that most other children's books lack. It's perfect for what it is, and WELL worth a read. 5 stars.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How the book inspired me, June 20, 2005

By 

ShaQuita Andrews "Quita" (Georgia,Mo USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Million Fish...More or Less (Paperback)

I liked the book because it was a great book,and I wish that everyone should read the book. Patricia C. Mckissack the author she did a great job on the book. Dena Schutzek the illustrater did a great job on the pictures in the book. Some people may think it's a baby book but I still think that it is a great,and funny book.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Book, December 14, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: A Million Fish...More or Less (Paperback)

This book was good, it was funny, Hugh used his imagination on catching all the fish, and how they were taken from him. It was an easy book to read and understand. I like the part about how the cats talked to him and told him where the girl Challie Pearl was, when he went to look for her, they ate his fish, all but three of them.