ONE BOY'S CHOICE

In this story translated from German and set in the Amazon jungle, a boy and his grandfather go on an all-day fishing outing.

A young boy looks forward to going fishing with his grandfather and to bringing home a big fish that he hopes will put an end to his being laughed at by his friends. Exuberant illustrations that overflow their pages set the stage for the story. Grandad and child—who appear to be Indigenous—navigate their canoe through lush mangroves and past the magnificent Victoria amazonica lily pads as enormous fish swim beneath them. As they set their bait and wait, then wait some more, then move on to another spot and cast their net, Grandad tells the boy stories of the different fish that live under the water lilies. When they eventually catch a big arowana, the boy is dismayed when his grandfather wants to release it. The male arowana carry their young in their mouths, so catching the adult fish implies killing its young as well. Grandad tells the boy “You must decide what is more important—taking the fish to show your friends, or letting this dad and his children live peacefully in the great river.” For another glimpse at life in the Amazon rainforest, read also Along the Tapajós by Fernando Vilela and translated by Daniel Hahn (2019).

A thoughtful contemplation on how our actions affect life on our planet.