From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2–Piggy is excited about his first fishing trip with his father. After donning boots, helping to make sandwiches, and digging for worms, the pair set out. All is well until the youngster tries to bait the hook. He cannot bear to hurt the little worm smiling up at him, so they use bread instead. Though his dad explains that he must be quiet and patient for a fish to bite, the antsy tyke repeatedly casts his line until both fishermen fall asleep from a mix of exhaustion and boredom. Piggy is awakened by a tug on the line and, sure enough, he catches a beauty–only to throw it back when he imagines how sad the fish must be. Instead, he invents a new sport of "feed-the-fish fishing," in which he tosses bread balls into the water and they enjoy watching the eager creatures eat their lunch. Dad is such a good sport that the next day they return for more–only this time father, son, and fish feast on a box of doughnuts. The pleasing watercolor-and-pencil cartoons are bright and varied, with both white and colored backgrounds. The front endpapers sport cans of smiling worms while the back ones display an array of mouthwatering doughnuts. Children will appreciate the understanding, bespectacled dad in his wild Hawaiian shirts and empathize with the sensitive little pig.–
Barbara Auerbach, New York City Public Schools Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PreS-Gr. 2. Young Piggy is excited about going fishing with his dad for the first time. It's fresh fish for supper tonight! But once at the lake, Piggy has a few problems. When it comes to baiting his hook, the worm wiggles off. When Dad tells Piggy, "You'll really have to hook him," the worm smiles at Piggy, and the fishermen decide to use bread instead. Once Piggy actually catches a fish, he feels compelled, with Dad's agreement, to throw it back. By day's end, the duo finds that feeding the fish is better than catching them. This upbeat book, with its jolly illustrations in watercolor and crayon, raises some interesting issues. On one hand, it's nice to see a bonded father and son, especially with a dad who unreservedly accepts his son's choices. On the other, there's no doubt about the book's political correctness. Fishing comes across as a sport that's cruel to "sad" fish and smiling worms. Many readers will agree, but avid anglers may be offended. It's something to think about.
Ilene CooperCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
