Catching a Storyfish by Janice N. Harrington

by Janice N. Harrington

Keet knows the only good thing about moving away from her Alabama home is that she’ll live near her beloved grandfather. When Keet starts school, it’s even worse than she expected, as the kids tease her about her southern accent. Now Keet, who can “talk the whiskers off a catfish,” doesn’t want to open her mouth. Slowly, though, while fishing with her grandfather, she learns the art of listening. Gradually, she makes her first new friend. But just as she’s beginning to settle in, her grandfather has a stroke, and even though he’s still nearby, he suddenly feels ever-so-far-away. Keet is determined to reel him back to her by telling him stories; in the process she finds her voice and her grandfather again. This lyrical and deeply emotional novel-in-verse celebrates the power of story and of finding one’s individual voice.

Genres: Poetry, Middle Grade, Novel In Verse, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Family, Childrens

Hardcover

First published September 20, 2016

About the author

Harrington’s writing reflects her beginnings in rural Alabama and her life in the Midwest. A former librarian and professional storyteller, Harrington now teaches creative writing in the Department of English at the University of Illinois.

-from janiceharrington.com

Reviews

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love and study poetry, this is absolutely a must-read.

And if you are searching for a golden mentor text to inspire young poets, this is a must-have.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novels in verse are powerful, but my students too often miss the inference needed to appreciate the entirety of the book. Catching a Storyfish provides just the right amount of inference to a relatable plot. Many of the poems can stand alone as mentor texts to teach various devices, yet the poetry furthers, not obfuscates, the story. This is an honest, linguistically economic look at being an other that everyone can relate to. I'm so glad to have read it.

[Danielle H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably a 4.5 or higher if I wasn't reading it during work and interrupting the flow. This book reminds me that every April I'm like I'M GOING TO DO A WHOLE POETRY UNIT and why I really have to follow through with that. I liked the poetry guide in the back to explain the types and structures of the poems in the book, but I really loved the story of it. It seems simple, but there's a lot of emotional weight behind it and most importantly, it made me want to write. Favorites included: the Prologue, A Box Big Enough, Library Helper and probably #1, Keet Grandpa, a contrapuntal poem, which is a new thing I learned about today.

[Samantha Z. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only did this book tell a story through many different kinds of poems, but it made an exciting story from a child's perspective. I initially thought I would not like this book, however I need to read a novel in verse for Mrs. Smith's class and this was the only one I could easily borrow. I read the inside cover and thought I'd give it a try. The engaging story made me read this book so fast and give the time and effort to write a review on it.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I usually don't like books in verse, but I thought this was a wonderful story and I loved the relationship between Keet and her Grandpa. I also liked the variety of poem types and the author's explanation of each type in the back.

[Aiden Rodriguez-Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I love reading poetry!

[The Reading Countess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetic narrative about a girl struggling to regain her voice in a new home. Catching a Storyfish is as much a love letter to family, to the beauty and power of words, and to the importance of teachers and books as it is to the various kinds of poetry that Harrington snuck into the covers. Be sure to check out the glossary, where you might pick up a new form of poetry (like I did) and see it in action on the pages listed in the book. Highly recommended!

"He tells us that if we know someone's story,
then we know who they are,
and knowing someone's story--'Well,'
Doug McVicker says,
in his good ol' Tennessee voice,
'knowing someone's story is one way
to put an end to a lot of trouble in the world'"

[Alivia Shefchik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t have high hopes for this book
I just saw it at a library sale and thought “why not?”
And I really loved this book
It perfectly describes the innocence of kids having things happen around them and not know what is happening and why
I love that this book is poetry it really adds to the detail and it makes me feel for the characters especially in a shorter book

[Thomas Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! I really, REALLY like this book!

[Stay Fetters · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Knowing someone's story is one way to put an end to a lot of trouble in the world."
Received at BEA Chicago!!
Can we just take a minute to stare at the gorgeousness that is this cover? It speaks so many volumes and is one of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen. Breathe it in!
I wanted to be biased about this book because of where the author lives. She lives in a city that is about 45 minutes away from where I currently live. I couldn't do it. This held on its own and blew me away.
With books that are written in verse, they usually are about a lot of heavy situations and this one is mo different. So much more could have been said, but this is a beautiful way to get a powerful story across to the world. Like readying lyrics to a song. It moves you.
Keet and her family are from Alabama. To have a better life they pick up and move to Illinois.
Keets favorite things to do are fish with her Grandpa and talk. She can yak yak yak until the sun rises.
Going to school and introductions are made, people make fun of her voice. This stops her from being the great talking storyteller that she is. Which makes it even harder to make friends.
When her Grandpa falls ill, she must find her own voice to bring the world to herself.
This was an exceptional story. Didn't think I was going to enjoy this as much as I did. But, it leads to to ginswmore of her stuff. Here's hoping that Keet finds an even bigger voice to speak for the people who really can't.
Sing loud, sing proud!!

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading for CLAU poetry long list. I am champion of this book. And I really enjoyed it. I loved that the author used different poetry styles within the book. I completely related to this little girl's experience in moving, hoping for a new friend, even talking differently! I was "luckily" very young and I think I dropped my southern accent a lot sooner that it wasn't something I was teased about much. And I didn't get to move closer to a grandparent. Nor do I think I am much of a storyteller, though I do love to tell stories. But I was drawn into this book because of the shared experiences, and how well Katharine's story is conveyed through the poetry, and her words. I thought this very good storytelling, but I would like my husband to read it as he has much more knowledge and critique in that area than I do in my easily entertained nature.

I think this would be an excellent one for school-age children and up to read. Many lessons within that a reader can take with them. I took some of my own. I hope others can do so as well.

[Tamsyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written story in a variety of poetic forms -- explained in the poetry glossary in the back -- dealing primarily with the move of Katharen's (Keet) family to another part of the country and the sorrows and adjustments and new friend that entails. A significant part of the story is spent on the relationship with her widowed grandfather and their time spent fishing, and those lessons are incorporated into her life. Keet is a natural storyteller whose voice is silenced as the new girl with an unfamiliar accent at school, but the journey back is rewarding.

[Jane H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is about a girl who loves to tell stories. Spoiler alert: At the end she gets a pencil with a fish eraser. Spoiler Alert: She makes friends with someone called Allie but everyone calls her Allie-gator. Spoiler Alert: Everyone calls her Keet-Keet-Parakeet. And she starts getting all quiet when her grandpa goes to the hospital. Spoiler Alert: All Done.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read. Written in poem format this would be a good into to a upper elementary, middle school Poetry Unit as she uses several types of poetry and explains them in a "poetry glossary" at the end of the book.

As far as the story goes I like that it gives a sense of hope and family love. A really sweet story with a good message.

[Alexa Hamilton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I had the opportunity to read this aloud. The poems are really well written, with a discussion in the back of the different types of poems used in the story. I enjoyed the relationship that Keet has with her grandfather, as well as her growing relationship with her new best friend.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel in verse is a lovely poetic fusion of sound and sense--the words sparkle and bob as they release this gentle fishing story that really isn't about fishing at all. Well, maybe just a little. I loved it.

[Scott Fillner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful Novel in verse that has all the emotions and is written in verse !

[Mel Mollick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book in verse! If you liked Crossover or Booked, you will love this.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

More joyful than not, given the challenges Keet faces. #OwnVoices. Not a novel-in-verse, but a bunch of actual poems that work together as puzzle pieces to tell the story of the family adapting to their first two months in their new home. A *fun* story... with lots of literary value.

I have decided that I am a *big* fan of Harrington and her works are pretty much auto-reads. And I will reread this.

One of my favorite poems is 'Math Class' because Keet's experience is actually universal. I loved math but I still know exactly what is going on her head as she struggles with one learning challenge while also carrying on in the rest of her classes and in life. "...I have numbers tangled in my braid9s, numbers caught between my t2eeth, 4,5,6, and 7 stuck to my tongue, and 177 tickling my nose...."

I also liked when Keet challenges her clever friend to spell preposterous. Friend says "You're using your Alabama voice to make it harder." Keet says "Yup."

[CozyReaderKelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story written in verse about a girl from Alabama that moves to the North during elementary school. She gets teased at first for her southern accent and feels like an outcast at her new school. It deals with family, identity, and learning to be proud of who you are.

I really enjoyed Keet's character and her relationship with the people in her family. The poems that dealt with Grandpa and Keet going fishing were the best. The author did a great job of relating fishing to Keet's life, and the words she used were so beautiful in creating that metaphor. I would highly recommend this book if you want to just try a book in verse, because it is very easy to follow the storyline.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet novel in verse about a girl finding her place in a new town and finding her voice.

[Cassie Cappelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

A beautiful story about a young girl who moves across the country with her family to be closer to her grandpa. Unfortunately, the kids at her new school make fun of her southern accent calling her “‘Bama mouth”. It is a story all about accepting herself and understanding that her story and voice are a part of who she is.

[Shannon Rayner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was so cute. I didn’t think I’d get emotional reading a book written in verse from the perspective of a child but at one point I had tears. It was so emotion filled and I loved that!

[Tory S. Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this (note: as comprised of poetry, it needs to be read in text, not audio) was a small journey for me. Not really knowing what I was getting into I began unsure and with some criticism. The power of the verse didn't stand up to poetry anthologies or masterpieces of lyric prose that I've read before. It didn't compare to Shel Silverstein or, a little closer to its audience, "Please Bury Me in the Library," either. But after a few pages one realizes that this book is story, and though the every-page-titled format might be reminiscent of those other genres, the real work to be appraised is the book as a whole. And in this scope my experience of the book was a definite success.

The book follows a child of perhaps 10 years of age. We see "Keet Keet" moved away from her Alabama home in an experience that is first confusing, then disorienting, then distressing. People make fun of her southern accent here and cause her to self-consiously stop her characteristic gabbing and story-telling. Harrington explores a variety of poetic forms as she expresses Keet's experiences, including a glossary of poetic forms in the back of the book. While doing so she maintains the vocabulary-level of the youth that are the target audience of this book. The overall effect was a pleasant one: the pages turn like a good story, and the shift in modality causes the reader to experience the story in personal and thoughtful ways. The two moving dynamics of the book are Keet's relationship with her grandfather, whose presence is the original singular benefit of her move to this new place, and her budding friendship with Allie-gator, another new-to-the-school child who has prevously learned to be self-conscious for her own reasons. Harrington develops both of these relationships with care and emotion, telling how story-stifled Keet recaptures what her grandfather calls "Storyfish," and how (not coincidentally) this occurs in tandem with the development of friendship and courage and concern in her life.

While I won't exalt Harrington as a poet, she definitely earns the right to be considered a great story teller for this. The use of poetry was refreshing and, most effectively, a powerful way of telling the story and reflecting the inner life and perception of Keet (and occasionally those around her). I look forward to discussing this book with my daughter, although I'll have to wait until she is 8 or 10 years old and can recognize the nuance of the book. Also worth mentioning is the way this book gives language itself -- poetry, storytelling, and even just words -- full attention. This is a message I will happily share. Had Harrington demonstrated more sophistication of poetry and wording, I'm afraid she would have lost the approachability of the book for young readers. In other words, the book was instructive for its poetry and really amazing for its poetically-powered storytelling.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A chatty southern grade-schooler finds herself out of her element and without a voice when her family moves from Alabama to be closer to her grandfather. It's a sweet story told in prose and poetry with a lot of fishing analogies (courtesy of grandpa). It's clean and deals with life changes, friendship, and self confidence.

Initially, I was put off the the lack of consistency in the author's poetic voice. Once I realized each chapter has it's own style I was OK with the lack of consistency and found it clever. At the end the author talks about the different types of poems she uses and gives specific chapters as examples. This book offers the bonus of the opportunity to learn about poetry (for those of us with only the most basic of poetic knowledge).

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

For fans of novels in verse like The Crossover or Out of the Dust, you need to take a look at this story of Katharen and her family as they move from Alabama to Illinois. Her nickname has always been Keet, short for parakeet because she is such a talker. But when the kids at her new school tease her about her Southern accent and call her "Bama Mouth," Keet becomes a very quiet girl. The poems show the changes she goes through as she tries to adjust and fit in, the first steps towards making a new friend, and her powerful relationship with her grandfather. Most of the verses are in Keet's voice, but some are also from the perspective of her neighbor and classmate, Allegra.

The tone of the poems ranges from the humorous to the heartbreaking. There is the 10-line list of "Things to Do with a Baby Brother" which has very funny suggestions. But there is also the fear that her grandfather will not recover from his illness and ever be the same again. In "Rainy Days," her mother tells her, "He told me once that his heart was an old tackle box and that you were the best thing in it." And in the poem that gives the books its title, Keet shares her dream of "catching my storyfish and telling a really good story that makes my grandpa smile again."

Author Janice N. Harrington captures so many of the authentic feelings that go with each scene - being the new kid, not fitting in because of an accent (or some other difference), the fear of losing a family member or never having the same relationship with them, the tentative moves of a blossoming friendship - they are all there. A poetry glossary explains the different types of poems used in the book and even names an example for readers to go back and look at again. This feature makes the book an excellent mentor text for a poetry unit.

Highly recommended for grades 3 - 7. I will warn that you may wind up teary-eyed at various points (I certainly did), but it is worth it to see this young storyteller working to rediscover her voice through all the changes she undergoes.

[Mrs. James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Link to Synopsis (Amazon or Common Sense Media): https://www.amazon.com/Catching-Story...

Genre(s): Realistic Fiction, Poetry

Theme(s): Finding your voice, Fitting in, Family, The art of storytelling

Cultures/Under-represented Groups: The protagonist, Keet, is African American and her new friend, Allegra, is Hispanic.

Grade Level (Interest/Difficulty): 6th grade and up

Appropriateness (Edgy Content/Issues): None

Instruction: Great for read aloud, book groups, or as a mentor text for figurative language, author's craft, word choice, plot, conflict, theme, and poetic forms (in reading or writing workshop)

Other: Janice Harrington gives the reader the best of both worlds for a novel in verse: the well-rounded plot with a developed, endearing main character (creating a relate-able conflict with an authentic resolution) and the beautiful language readers expect when reading poetry. The layers of meaning in the novel make this English teacher's heart sing with its complexity and versatility! One could easily take a straightforward approach and focus on elements of fiction or dig deeper with the themes and symbolism behind Grandfather's fishing lessons and Keet's fables. I got lost in the language and the magic of Keet's words; I didn't want my reading experience to end. This novel is truly outstanding because it has it all coupled with a stellar execution, and I highly recommend it to any reader. Catching a Storyfish is easily my favorite read of 2017 so far. Bravo, Ms. Harrington!

Review by: K. James, Mercer MS

[orangerful · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know why I always shy away from books written in verse. I don't consider myself a fan of poetry so I suppose the idea of reading a story in that format doesn't appeal to me. Yet the few times I have taken a chance, I have been very impressed. This is one of those times.

The short lines of verse are more powerful than any prose paragraph, capturing Katharen's emotions in a way that a normal sentence might not.

This is a beautiful story about a girl who moves from Alabama to a town further north, where she hides her talent for telling stories after the other kids mock her accent. She finds solace with her grandfather, hanging out with him and talking about fishing - well, she thinks he is talking about fishing, but he is giving her little life lessons.

Great story for middle grade readers (4th grade and up) and this actually might be a good pick for someone reading out loud to a classroom of students.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a super quaint, middle-grade novel in verse. At times, it feels almost like it comes from another time (historical fiction from when the author was a kid?) because the family is just so lovely and nuclear, and Keet is always doing things like going fishing with her grandpa. Keet's family has moved north from Alabama to be closer to her grandpa who is getting older and is living alone. Keet has to start at a new school where all the kids make fun of her accent, and she has trouble finding her voice. Throughout the book, Keet has some family trauma, and she slowly figures out who she is in this new place and who her friends are. Very sweet, but not for every kid.

[Nerdy Panda (twobrokegirlswithbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Actual rating: 3.5*
Katharen (nicknamed Keet) and her family travel from Alabama to Illinois in order to be closer to her grandfather. In her new school, instead of being a talkative storyteller, she ends up keeping herself silent as the other kids tease her for her southern accent.

I enjoyed the connection between Keet and her grandfather. She really looks up to him in times of support as her grandfather gives her life lessons in the form of fishing metaphors.

In verse, it's a simple yet powerful and heartfelt story about family, friendship, and finding yourself.