  | Full Text Reviews: Bulletin for the Center... - 06/01/2014 Miss Doreen Randolph-Potts, an “Ample Roundy Fish,” is on her way to visit her cousin when she is caught by a fisherman. One would think Doreen would be terrified, but she is buoyantly clueless about the dangers that face her: she thinks the dragonfly lure is real and that she is “a remarkable swimmer” as the fisherman speedily reels her in. When he gives the final yank that sends her flying toward him through the air, she cries “Yippee! I’m going on an outing!” to which the unseen narrator responds, “Oh dear, Doreen. No. You’re not.” A blithe disregard for reality carries the unflappable Doreen through her experiences of being unhooked and put in a pail of water, being stolen from said bucket by a great blue heron, and, finally, being dropped from a great height back into the water by the bird. It all makes for an exciting and cheerful story that Doreen then relays to her cousin. The cautionary narrative asides, sonorous language (“Through the glittering water she spies a dragonfly, darting, dancing deliciously above her”), and Doreen’s complete (but enthusiastic) misunderstanding of her situation make this a boatload of fun to read aloud. Boiger’s watercolor, gouache, pencil, and colored pencil illustrations are pleasantly watery, but some of the paler tones and contrasts might not translate well to larger crowds. Still, one can’t help but like the oblivious and rotund Doreen in her jaunty red headscarf and inexplicably toting a red umbrella, and her tale will likely make a splash, either as the silly story it is or as a lesson in perspective. JH - Copyright 2014 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. School Library Journal - 10/01/2014 K-Gr 2—Doreen, a fish with bad luck and an optimistic temperament, is on the way to visit her cousin. When Doreen spies a delicious dragonfly, she snaps it up, not realizing it's a lure and that she's just been caught by a fisherman. One potentially catastrophic event after another happens to her, but with her serene attitude, she sees nothing but good: being put in the fisherman's pail is a chance for her to rest, and after being snapped up by a great blue heron, Doreen thanks him for accompanying her on her trip. A wary narrator relays the story of the fish's perilous journey to see her relative and is the voice of reason, and doom, alongside Doreen's obliviousness. Repetition of phrases, and the humorous and cautionary asides make this perfect for reading aloud. Delightful illustrations in watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil show a smiling small blue and pink polka-dotted fish wearing a red babushka and sporting a red umbrella. A charming tale with an endearing—and enduring—heroine.—Maryann H. Owen, Children's Literature Specialist, Mt. Pleasant, WI - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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