FISHING FOR METHUSELAH
by Roger Roth & illustrated by Roger Roth
Roth delivers an unabashedly outrageous tale about the one that got away in this saga of two competitive fishermen and the wise fish that teaches them a lesson about friendship. Both Ivan and Olaf are determined to win the Winter Carnival fishing contest by capturing the ancient behemoth, Methuselah. Allowing rivalry to cloud their judgment, the two men select a precarious section of thin ice for their fishing spots. Methuselah, irritated by their squabbling, separates their section from solid ice and casts them adrift. Facing disaster, the two antagonists put rivalry aside; with inventive teamwork and a push from the aggravated but benevolent fish, Ivan and Olaf make it safely ashore and realize the true value of their friendship. Roth's wry humor is evident in his witty portrayal of the feisty friends. Detailed illustrations artfully depict both the sparkling, frostbound beauty of the northern woods and the hilarious antics of the combative fishermen. A rousing adventure with irascible, lovable heros. (Picture book. 4-8)