Fish for Supper

Selected as a Caldecott Honor Book in 1977, this is a charming picture book about a grandmother and her simple, idyllic daily routine, now back in print for the first time in a decade. Selected as a Caldecott Honor Book in 1977, andnow back in print for the first time in a decade,this is a charming picture book about a grandmother and her simple, idyllic daily routine. Fish for Supper is M.B. Goffstein's Caldecott Honor story of a grandmother and her regular routine in summer- waking at five o'clock in the morning to make the most of a day on the lake, "with cans of worms and minnows, some fruit for lunch, bobbers, lines, hooks, and sinkers." Delightfully and wittily, Goffstein departs from the usual fisherman's tale to give us a day in the life of this no-nonsense, patient fisherwoman who catches "sunfish, crapper, perch, and sometimes a big northern pike," who capably cleans her catch, and who can bake to boot. She relishes every bite of her well-earned supper, and the pleasure she takes in her self-sufficiency and graceful work becomes the reader's as well. Based on Goffstein's own childhood summers at her grandparents' house on Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota, Fish for Supper transforms her indelible memories into a story that is as honed and gratifying as its heroine's days.

About the Author :
M. B. Goffstein (1942-2017) was an author, illustrator, and fine artist born in St. Paul, Minnesota. After graduating from Bennington College, she moved to New York, where she found success writing and illustrating picture books. Her published works also include young adult novels and books for adults.

Review :
"[A] spare, barely there picture book by minimalist author-illustrator Goffstein epitomize her trademark approach: a simplicity of text (a sentence, or sentence fragment, per small page) and art (sketch-like black-and-white line drawings) matched with quiet emotional resonance." —Martha V. Parravano, The Horn Book

“These deft and lovely and authentic and resonant little books of Brooke's are timely and timeless works. I wish they had been available here in the USA all along. They’re important books, perfectly done.” —Sandra Boynton

“Using poetic tellings accompanied by whimsical pictures, Goffstein reveals basic truths. . . . Each Goffstein book is small and fits comfortably in the hand. . . . Their simplicity is their strength. . . . M. B. Goffstein is one of the finest illustrators/writers of our time. Like porcelain there is more to her work than meets the eye. Beneath the delicacy and fragility is a core of astounding strength.” —The Washington Post

“M. B. Goffstein is one of the few ‘originals’ in children’s literature.” —The New York Times