WINTER RESCUE

Thor's grandfather takes him ice fishing on Lake Winnipeg. Their outing is framed by dramatic detailsThor's reluctance to go (he prefers watching TV) and the rescue of a drowning man at the endbut the premise doesn't stick. Instead, the book's centerpiece is a meticulously described and illustrated account of fishing, in which the grandfather shows Thor how to walk on the ice, set the nets, and pull in fish, and explains the function of the specialized tools used in the process. In other words, Valgardson's first book has a dry charm, and despite the trappings of the story, this book shines in its description of mechanical processes. Newcomer Zhang's pencil illustrationscolorful, but brittlesuit the book exactly. (Picture book. 7-9)