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What If a Fish
A sudden change in summer plans has Little Eddie, 11, traveling to Cartagena, Colombia, where his late dad was from, to visit his half-brother. Big Eddie, 18, is caring for his ailing maternal grandmother, who wants to meet Little Eddie. Thinking of the end-of-summer fishing contest back home in Minnesota, Little Eddie hopes Big Eddie will teach him how to fish, like their father once taught him. Little Eddie barely remembers their dad, but knows he once entered the contest, too. But Big Eddie is resistant to fishing and preoccupied with caring for Abuela, who raised him after his mother’s death. Abuela, for her part, calls Little Eddie “Tito” and shares stories about his dad when he courted and married her daughter. She also helps him understand and experience the beauty and magic of Colombia. After Abuela’s death, Big Eddie accompanies Little Eddie back to Minnesota. Little Eddie still hopes his brother will teach him how to fish in time for the contest, but Big Eddie is moody and withdrawn. He’s grieving, Little Eddie’s mom, who is white, explains. Still, it hurts. So does the behavior of Little Eddie’s friend Cameron, who seems to have gone from a girl unafraid of being her singular self to follower of a trio of racist siblings who taunt him. A captivating narrative voice, deftly managed plot, and complex characters propel a story exploring identity, grief, loss, friendship, and, above all, love and family. ©2021 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 9-12
Age Range:
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Format:
Novel
Subjects:
Brothers
Colombians and Colombian Americans
Death and Dying
Families
Friendship
Grandmothers
Grief and Loss
Identity
Illness and Disease
Racism
Diversity subject:
Latine
Publisher:
Simon & Schuster
Publish Year: 2020
Pages: 231
ISBN: 9781534449831
CCBC Location: Fiction, Fajardo
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