The WALKING CATFISH - Hardcover

Day David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0027263606 ISBN 13: 9780027263602

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 1992

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A tall tale about a Big Lie Contest at which a tale about a giant catfish becomes true and swallows its teller

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From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 4-- An original tall tale with real down-home flavor. When the Big Lie Competition is held in the town of Archie's Bottom , the River Rat Gang knows it can depend on Hank Blizzard to come up with a prize-winning whopper despite stiff competition from the Road Dog Gang. The teams are judged to be just about even when Hank spouts out a tale about a catfish so big and ornery that it can swallow fishermen whole, and Hank finds it necessary to dare rival Tex to meet down by the river for a personal peek at the monster. The next day, Hank announces that the huge fish has swallowed both Tex and another victim. Just as he is on his knees praying for forgiveness, both missing boys appear on the horizon none the worse for wear. The townspeople are not amused. When a sole witness sees Hank being swallowed whole by a giant catfish, no one believes his story. To this very day people are waiting for Hank to reappear. The lively watercolors catch the Mark Twain-type personalities of the characters. The Native Americans, however, are stereotypical down to the feather in the headband, and the illustrations of the fluffy dog have a great deal more appeal than the hound dog described in the text. Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable read and a great choice for storytelling. --Phyllis G. Sidorsky, National Cathedral School, Washington, DC
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews:

It looks like the Road Dog Gang is going to win the Big Three Day Lie-Off at Gunther's General Store until Hank Blizzard, the River Rat Gang's champion liar, turns it around with an account of a man-eating catfish (``big as three grizzly bears, with an appetite to match'') that can come right out of the river. Called on that one, Hank astounds the assembly with an actual walking catfish--``only a baby,'' he claims. Next day, he temporarily convinces the whole town that the fish has eaten a boy. ``I'll out-lie old Lucifer himself,'' boasts Hank, whereupon a huge catfish rears out of the river and gulps him down--or so young narrator Lee Roy Jones claims. Entwisle sets this obviously true tale in a sun-drenched Depression-era small town, capturing a remarkable range of comically melodramatic expressions on the ragged cast--even the catfish have distinct personalities. His splashy, accomplished watercolors reflect a hot summer day's quiet serenity between bursts of energy in the climactic scenes. A well-done tall tale. (Picture book. 7-10) -- Copyright �1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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