Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

What If a Fish by Anika Fajardo

How I Heard About It:
*Simon and Schuster sent me an electronic ARC of this upcoming middle-grade novel.  The title will be released on August 11, 2020.  This was my first middle-grade read of summer 2020.


What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
1.  *"Little Eddie" misses his papa and wants to make him proud.

2.  *He and a new friend decide to enter a fishing contest.  Eddie's father loved to fish.



3.  *Just as the two "contestants" are trying to figure out how to raise the contest fee to enter, "Little Eddie" and his mother hear from his older step-brother "Big Eddie".

4.  *"Big Eddie's" grandmother is ill.  "Little Eddie" travels from Minnesota to Columbia to spend the summer with them.

5.  *While in Columbia, he learns about his older brother, a wonderful grandmother, and his father who he so desperately wants to know.


What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
1.  *"Little Eddie" was a great character that I enjoyed reading about from start to finish.

2.  *I enjoyed the development of relationships with his friends, older brother, and a "step" grandmother.

3.  *The plot was interesting and engaging when Eddie traveled to Columbia for the summer.

4.  *I enjoyed learning about his family's culture, customs, and daily life.

5.  *The story was thoughtful, sensitive, and touching.  There were moments when the storyline moved a bit slow for my taste.


Who Should Read It:
*Readers in grades four, five, and six would be completely appropriate for the story.  I think the middle-school reader may enjoy a bit more as the story moves slow and there is not a whole lot of "action" that the younger reader looks for.  Happy Reading!


Rating:   3 STARS out of 5 Stars

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