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becsstrom's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
scostner's review
4.0
For fans of novels in verse like The Crossover or Out of the Dust, you need to take a look at this story of Katharen and her family as they move from Alabama to Illinois. Her nickname has always been Keet, short for parakeet because she is such a talker. But when the kids at her new school tease her about her Southern accent and call her "Bama Mouth," Keet becomes a very quiet girl. The poems show the changes she goes through as she tries to adjust and fit in, the first steps towards making a new friend, and her powerful relationship with her grandfather. Most of the verses are in Keet's voice, but some are also from the perspective of her neighbor and classmate, Allegra.
The tone of the poems ranges from the humorous to the heartbreaking. There is the 10-line list of "Things to Do with a Baby Brother" which has very funny suggestions. But there is also the fear that her grandfather will not recover from his illness and ever be the same again. In "Rainy Days," her mother tells her, "He told me once that his heart was an old tackle box and that you were the best thing in it." And in the poem that gives the books its title, Keet shares her dream of "catching my storyfish and telling a really good story that makes my grandpa smile again."
Author Janice N. Harrington captures so many of the authentic feelings that go with each scene - being the new kid, not fitting in because of an accent (or some other difference), the fear of losing a family member or never having the same relationship with them, the tentative moves of a blossoming friendship - they are all there. A poetry glossary explains the different types of poems used in the book and even names an example for readers to go back and look at again. This feature makes the book an excellent mentor text for a poetry unit.
Highly recommended for grades 3 - 7. I will warn that you may wind up teary-eyed at various points (I certainly did), but it is worth it to see this young storyteller working to rediscover her voice through all the changes she undergoes.
The tone of the poems ranges from the humorous to the heartbreaking. There is the 10-line list of "Things to Do with a Baby Brother" which has very funny suggestions. But there is also the fear that her grandfather will not recover from his illness and ever be the same again. In "Rainy Days," her mother tells her, "He told me once that his heart was an old tackle box and that you were the best thing in it." And in the poem that gives the books its title, Keet shares her dream of "catching my storyfish and telling a really good story that makes my grandpa smile again."
Author Janice N. Harrington captures so many of the authentic feelings that go with each scene - being the new kid, not fitting in because of an accent (or some other difference), the fear of losing a family member or never having the same relationship with them, the tentative moves of a blossoming friendship - they are all there. A poetry glossary explains the different types of poems used in the book and even names an example for readers to go back and look at again. This feature makes the book an excellent mentor text for a poetry unit.
Highly recommended for grades 3 - 7. I will warn that you may wind up teary-eyed at various points (I certainly did), but it is worth it to see this young storyteller working to rediscover her voice through all the changes she undergoes.
book_beat's review
4.0
7. CATCHING A STORYFISH by Janice N. Harrington // #middlegrademarch
.
“I like the way library books talk to me, and / tell me stories, and make me remember / I have stories, too.”
.
Written in verse, CATCHING A STORYFISH tells the story of a little girl named Keet and her recent move north to live near her grandpa. In the transition, she deals with normal struggles: finding friends, hobbies, and her own voice. Fishing and talking with her grandpa is her one constant.
What is special about this middle grade book: the poems are very accessible and use a few different forms (which the author explains in the back). It would be a great tool for the poet-novice. I enjoyed Keet’s journey to becoming a writer and how stories are used to help heal, too.
.
“I like the way library books talk to me, and / tell me stories, and make me remember / I have stories, too.”
.
Written in verse, CATCHING A STORYFISH tells the story of a little girl named Keet and her recent move north to live near her grandpa. In the transition, she deals with normal struggles: finding friends, hobbies, and her own voice. Fishing and talking with her grandpa is her one constant.
What is special about this middle grade book: the poems are very accessible and use a few different forms (which the author explains in the back). It would be a great tool for the poet-novice. I enjoyed Keet’s journey to becoming a writer and how stories are used to help heal, too.
tvisser's review
5.0
I loved this book. Great story about a family, a new school and telling stories!
alinaborger's review
5.0
This is a book that, as far as I can tell, got almost no fanfare whatsoever, but is worth a Newbery medal a dozen times over. The story is a classic a coming-of-age, but with the distinct flavor of a girl who moved from the South to the North and finds it more uncomfortable than expected. Keet's tenuously middle-class, African-American family is tight knit and warm, and Keet herself is as winsome as Anne of Green Gables with charm to spare. While her relationship with her grandfather is the central one of the novel, her relationships with her brother, her mom, and her new friend all get due attention in Harrington's compressed and gorgeous language. And it *is* gorgeous! The poetry is by turns playful and poignant.
Basically, this slim volume is about as perfect a middle grade novel as I can imagine.
In high school, we used to toss around a line from the old SNL hypnotist sketch, "I laughed, I cried, it was better than CATS!" But seriously? I laughed, I cried, and I'm buying this book for every kid I know come Christmas. Thank you Janice Harrington.
Basically, this slim volume is about as perfect a middle grade novel as I can imagine.
In high school, we used to toss around a line from the old SNL hypnotist sketch, "I laughed, I cried, it was better than CATS!" But seriously? I laughed, I cried, and I'm buying this book for every kid I know come Christmas. Thank you Janice Harrington.
ms_beaumaster's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Really beautiful writing.
amdame1's review
3.0
This novel in verse is about a girl named Keet who loves to talk and tell stories. That changes when her family moves from Alabama to Illinois and people make fun of her accent. Grandpa encourages her to find the story-teller within again.
Sweet story about families and friendships. Seems about right for 3rd-6th grade.
Sweet story about families and friendships. Seems about right for 3rd-6th grade.
thisgrrlreads's review
3.0
I wish I had the opportunity to read this aloud. The poems are really well written, with a discussion in the back of the different types of poems used in the story. I enjoyed the relationship that Keet has with her grandfather, as well as her growing relationship with her new best friend.
thomasray's review against another edition
5.0
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! I really, REALLY like this book!