A FISH FOR MRS. GARDENIA

A comedy of errors and exchanges: Mr. Bennett, who has caught a fish, finally works up the courage to invite the widow Gardenia to share it; she accepts, but Mr. Bennett loses the fish (slippery with barbecue sauce), beginning its lengthy itinerary as it eludes his grasp, soars from his grill into his outraged neighbor's window, and is thrown into the milk of a passing milkman. Meanwhile, Bennett replaces the fish with a chicken, which starts its own journey when a hungry boy snitches it. Several characters and exchanges later, the fish lands back on the grill, to Mr. Bennett's astonishment, and the chicken receives a suitable welcome next door. Abolafia's gently comic illustrations help to explicate the ridiculous situations and extend the humor. Full of funny twists and surprises, this endearing story of a nice old couple's first date is sure to amuse the picture-book crowd.