Fishtale

Bauer (the screenwriter behind Anaconda, Titan A.E., and other films) and Masciola debut with a story that pairs the childhood camaraderie and adventure of The Goonies with an atmospheric Mississippi Delta setting. Sawyer Brown, 12, is a devoted fisherman who lives with his widowed mother and younger sister, Elvira, on a catfish farm. When Sawyer’s mother falls ill after losing her wedding ring to a catfish, Sawyer is sure that retrieving the ring will save her—and save Elvira and himself from having to move in with his Aunt Sarah and know-it-all cousin, Truman. A longtime local, Moses, points Sawyer and his crew in the direction of Ol’ One Eye, the “biggest, oldest, smartest, and meanest durn cat that ever swum the Yazoo,” enticing them with the lure of treasure—maybe even a miracle. “Way I see it,” Moses tells Sawyer, “if you can catch that one-eyed monster, there ain’t nothin’ in life that can lick ya.” A persuasive Southern dialect, bits of cornball humor, and a dash of magic combine in a charming, larger-than-life fish story. Ages 10–up. Agent: Fonda Snyder, Alchemy Ink. (Nov.)