TODAY I'M GOING FISHING WITH MY DAD

The first half of this realistic story is yet another rehearsal of getting out the gear, making an the early start, and starting the companionable drive. But at that point (with a type change), the boy lets readers in on his true feelings: he hates everything about fishing—the mosquitoes, the worms, the need to keep quiet; worst is when he catches a fish and has to eat it for supper. Still, ``I love spending time with my dad, and my dad likes to go fishing, so....'' Not every child is so wise, or so patient. Those who are will find validation in this boy's honesty; others may consider the merits of his loving stoicism. Demarest's watercolors, sketched sparingly across the white spreads, deftly suggest scenes without delineating them in any detail. His touch may not be as wonderfully sure as James Stevenson's, but he has a fine eye; it's a daring use of a difficult technique, particularly effective here where the emphasis is on the emotional content of the events. Low-key, with a nice touch of humor—a good book to start discussion. (Picture book. 5-8)