• Age: 5 to 18
• Grade: k to 12

A young girl and her grandfather love spending time together fishing on the farm — talking, sharing stories or just listening to the wind as they wait for a bite. For her birthday, Grandpa gives her a brand-new fishing rod. And now, at the very beginning of bass season, they’re off to the lake for her first grown-up fishing trip. She can’t wait to catch a fish all by herself — maybe even the biggest fish in the lake!

This lyrical tale celebrates nature, the bonds of loving, intergenerational relationships, and a child’s first steps toward independence. The timeless illustrations capture the quiet pleasures and dramatic thrills of fishing. Together they serve as a reminder that there is more to life than simply landing “the big one.”

Margaret Carney shares her deep love of nature through weekly newspaper columns as well as her books for children, which include At Grandpa's Sugar Bush and The Biggest Fish in the Lake. She wrote Where Does a Tiger-Heron Spend the Night? with the hope of turning young children into birders before they can read. She lives in Whitby, Ontario.

Margaret Carney's profile page

Janet Wilson is an award-winning artist and a published author, holding over 50 publishing copyrights in the children's literature field. She graduated with honours from the Ontario College of Art and Design as a mature student, the mother of two little boys. Janet's love of books combined with a particular talent for drawing children has brought her into the world of "kidlit." Her more realistic style lends itself to interpreting the stories of children's favorite authors in producing picture books. Sensitivity to the nuances of facial expressions helps young readers grasp subjects ranging from dealing with death, the arrival of a new baby, the tragedy of war or just wishing your new dress was a different colour. Her awards include Best Illustrated Book in the United States in 2004 for Jasper's Day, Canadian Information Book of the Year for her artwork in In Flanders Fields, and she is the first non-native artist to be awarded the Native Reading Week Award for her illustrations in Solomon's Tree. Janet is a career artist known for her fine art commissioned portraits and still life paintings.

Janet Wilson's profile page

• Winner, Children’s Literature Choice List
• Winner, Our Choice, Canadian Children’s Book Centre
• Winner, Skipping Stones Honor Award

Readers are sure to be drawn in by the wonderfully flowing text and the soft watercolor illustrations of the scenery and the natural life that surrounds the two as they enjoy their special relationship.

School Library Journal

…children will like this, too, for the exciting story line, the well-developed characters, and the superb nature scenery.

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