Gus and Grandpa Go Fishing

Mills, Claudia. 2003. GUS AND GRANDPA GO FISHING. Ill. by Catherine Stock. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0370328153 [Suggested Grade Levels K - 3]

SUMMARY and ANALYSIS
It is Gus’s first time to go fishing. His mom does not like to fish, and his dad is only focused on all the new fishing gear he excitedly ordered from a catalog, though has not yet used. Gus and Grandpa team up for their ninth adventure, as Grandpa shows Gus all of the ins and outs of fishing. Grandpa cuts his line free when it gets tangled up and teaches him all about casting. Through the sweet, gentle guidance of a caring grandpa and a grandson’s determination, Gus actually to catch a fish.

This is a great book for young children who are learning to read. Books available to help children transition from early “first readers” to the big overwhelming chapter books are difficult to find, and this book helps to fill that void. It can make the transition go more smoothly by incorporating much of the style of the early readers with pictures and very few lines per page, yet it has the thickness of a chapter book, the connected story throughout divided by chapters and contains a table of contents. The words and sounds of letters used are the ones most familiar to young readers such as the sound of “G” in Gus as opposed to the sound of “G” in Gerald. Also depicted in this story are warm relationships within the family, such as between the mother and the father, and grandfather and a grandchild. This is a great story for any who love fishing and enjoy peaceful relaxing days at the lake with the family.

CONNECTIONS
Have students find a partner and practice reading together out loud and discuss as they read making predictions and open by sharing their own favorite family vacation. This is a great tool for children to use as a transitioning tool from first readers to chapter books.

There are many great words to find and discuss such as casting, creel and reel. The students can see different uses for them as well as the meanings conveyed. Discuss the analogies used and their meanings such as, “It was tighter than ten shoelaces,” and “His line lay on the water like a long piece of string.”

RELATED BOOKS
Other books by Mills that could be compared to this one:
GUS AND GRANDPA AND THE CHRISTMAS COOKIES. ISBN 0374428158
GUS AND GRANDPA. ISBN 0374428476
GUS AND GRANDPA RIDE THE TRAIN. ISBN 0374428131
GUS AND GRANDPA AND SHOW AND TELL. ISBN

By Kristi Mays