Agatha May and the Anglerfish

A paean to the up-and-coming chaotic, incipient scientists of the world. 

PreS-Gr 3--From the childlike doodles on the endpapers to the lyrical story itself, this book is a gem in so many ways. Agatha May is a hot mess in school. Mrs. Marino is on her all the time, and poor Agatha May is always fending off criticism. Then an assignment changes everything. Taking the stage, Agatha May shows them what she has researched, and, because her focus is completely on task, her classmates hang on every gross, odd word. Every single detail will also captivate readers. Agatha May is just like every one of the children who will read this book and who will recognize their classmates or themselves in the characters. The rhyme is engaging, the art is beautifully rendered, and the story is one that plays out in schools every day. In the end, Agatha May gets her time in the spotlight and an admission from her teacher that she recognizes her talent and wants her to succeed. The information on the Angler fish is correct, and the back matter offers even more. VERDICT This is a perfect fit for libraries, and a must buy for elementary schools. It is a lively read aloud and captures life in a classroom in a fun way.--Joan Kindig

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Agatha May, a uniform-wearing student shown with tan skin and black hair, is constantly at odds with her white-presenting teacher, who punctuates the introduction to a new assignment with reprimands directed in the child's way: for chewing gum, having messy fingers, and eating in class. Students, portrayed with varying skin tones, can choose sea creatures for the assignment based on merit points, so Agatha May knows that someone else will probably grab the anglerfish first. Yet when her turn arrives, "something happened!/ something wondrous and strange!/ It was Agatha's turn--/ and her fish was unclaimed!" She prepares with exceptional care, and her presentation on the creature, a predator that does not swim and uses a bioluminescent lure to draw its prey, brings down the house--and draws warm recognition from her teacher. Song (Mako and Tiger) captures the classroom's energy with charged jet-black ink lines, gentle washes, and energetic crayon textures. Foley (Breda's Island) and her sister Morrison, diver for an aquarium's curation department, wield smartly scanning verse for this story of triumph about a kid who shines when she can work independently. Anglerfish facts conclude. Ages 5-8. (Dec.)

Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

★ "This book is a gem in so many ways...The rhyme is engaging, the art is beautifully rendered, and the story is one that plays out in schools every day...This is a perfect fit for libraries, and a must buy for elementary schools. It is a lively read aloud and captures life in a classroom in a fun way." -School Library Journal, starred review

★ "A buoyant depiction of a memorable, and possibly life-changing, classroom moment." -Booklist, starred review

"Clever wordplay and significant bounce give this title a true leg up... the book is replete with factual information about anglerfish, even spilling over into additional details and definitions at the end. The satisfaction of seeing Agatha May rewarded for her fixation is rivaled only by Song's marvelous watercolor embodiment of Agatha May's untidy, obsessive self...A paean to the up-and-coming chaotic, incipient scientists of the world." -Kirkus

"Song captures the classroom's energy with charged jet-black ink lines, gentle washes, and energetic crayon textures. Foley and her sister Morrison, diver for an aquarium's curation department, wield smartly scanning verse for this story of triumph about a kid who shines when she can work independently." -Publishers Weekly

"The lively rhyming text, packed with information about the deep sea and anglerfish in particular, will be enthusiastically received in a science-or ocean-themed story time, and marine biology enthusiasts will want to revisit it for the scientific vocabulary and fascinating facts ... Neurodivergent kids—or anyone labeled "weird"—will find a reassuring message that their interests will give them a time to shine." -BCCB

Booklist Editors' Choice 2022