Review by Horn Book Review
It's "Fish Fry Friday," and Cher can't wait: she is finally able to go on the family fishing trip. Papere gives her Great-Pere's pole, with which he "won beaucoup contests," and she joins her uncles around Cane River. The uncles "trash talk" and the children giggle. Cher finds a spot and quietly waits for the bream to bite. She catches a bucketful, but in her excitement gets tangled in her rod and loses all her fish. Though Cher is disappointed, Mamere gives her a red apron so she can help prepare the meal and reminds her granddaughter that the day is about family, not the catch. Courtney's debut picture book celebrates the fish-fry tradition from her childhood in Louisiana. Chambers's digital illustrations add to the celebration, with scenes of the fish fry exuding joy as people dance, eat, and play music. The endpapers show a table filled with fried fish, corn, and Cajun spice. This offering is a welcome addition to the growing landscape of picture books by Black authors highlighting the diversity of Black American life. An author's note and a dictionary with words of French origin from "my rural, Southern English" are appended. Nicholl Denice MontgomerySeptember/October 2025 p.38 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A large extended Black family introduces a youngster to a longstanding Louisiana tradition. The protagonist--affectionately referred to as Cher by the rest of the family--is thrilled for Fish Fry Friday. "Sister Wind brushes curtains against my cheek," and "Ol' Sun peeks, then winks at me" as the child awakens and gets ready to go fishing at Cane River Lake with Papere. Cher has Great-Pere's cane pole ("He won beaucoup contests with this pole," notes Papere), but a successful day's fishing also requires the child to stay quiet--a difficult task on such a thrilling occasion. Still, Cher patiently waits until…triumph! "Not just one catch, / a whole batch of bream for Mamere." Alas, twirling in excitement, Cher spills the bucket of fish, which flop into the lake. But, as Cher and readers both learn, Fish Fry Friday isn't just about the food that Mamere prepares. The "hush in the water," the chatter of kinfolk--these are all the things that Cher is proudly a part of. Simultaneously classic and contemporary, Chambers' serene digital illustrations emulate pastel brushes, drawing readers into the setting and pairing well with Courtney's text, rich with dialect and flavored with onomatopoeia. The tale closes with an author's note and a glossary of words of French origin commonly used in Louisiana. A celebration of those things that nourish us most: food, family, and fishing.(Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
