This is a book of poems that describes Sam's fishing day with his father. They plan a fishing trip, and his little sister Lucy ends up tagging along. Each chapter is written as a different type of poem, and there are pictures along the way. I believe this would be a really good book to read to children because it can help them learn the different types of poetry. The poem types are labeled at the beginning of each chapter, so they could learn to make associations with which poems are which. The pictures can also keep them interested and engaged.

This is a good read for emerging poets and hi-lo readers. The poems and illustrations leave enough space on the pages to make the book seem less daunting, while the novel-style presentation makes it appropriate for older elementary and middle school. The end of the book has well-written descriptions of many types of poems, making it a good companion to a class poetry unit.

Personally, however, while I think the poems are cute, this book didn't really stick with me. Frankly, I'm not much of a poetry lover. I really dig free verse, but I can take or leave the rest. Therefore, I found myself just trying to finish this one and not really getting into it. ( )

This is a whimsical novel in verse about Sam going fishing. Each poem relates to the next and the story continues. The other characters in the story are Lucy, Dad, Mom, and Grandpa. Sam does not like having to take Lucy fishing with him and his Dad. On the fishing trip Lucy catches more fish than Sam but Sam ends up catching the big one. Lucy complements Sam in the end for how he caught his big fish and Sam decides that he is actually glad that Lucy want fishing. ( )

A great book to read with kids. The story is told through a variety of poems. It would be fun to read aloud because there are poems for two or three people to read aloud. The story is one that kids can relate to and there is a good lesson in the end. Perfect for a poetry unit or to introduce kids to stories told in verse. ( )

Recommended Ages: Gr. 2-4

Plot Summary: Sam is so excited to go on a fishing trip with his dad and just his dad. As he goes through his tackle box to prepare for the trip, he notices his special treasures are missing! In their place is a doll. He knows his sister did it and he isn't happy. He's even more upset when she asks to come along and his dad says yes! Sam and his dad wait and wait until finally she's ready. Will Sam catch any fish? Will his sister ruin everything?

Setting:

Characters:
Sam
Lucy
Dad

Recurring Themes: fishing, family

Controversial Issues: none

Personal Thoughts: This super quick, easy to read book was so much fun, even if you're not interested in fishing. It's easy to relate to Sam who is excited about spending one-on-one time with his dad, is annoyed at his sister, and is jealous when his sister catches more fish than him. However, it's nice that he recognized his sister's joy when he caught a fish even though he was sour when she caught hers. Overall I like the variety of poem types. I was introduced to a few new ones I had never heard of before, however it did take time to adjust from one poem style to the next so quickly.

Genre: novel in verse, each chapter told in a different poem style

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Activity:

Favorite poems to read aloud: curse poem, pg 13
show page 14 - concrete poem ( )