A Fish for Mrs. Gardenia

Mr. Bennett and Mrs. Gardenia have an unexpressed, but deep affection for one another. When Mr. Bennett catches a fine fish, he invites his friend over for dinner and sets about to ensure that everything is perfect. But before he can get the fish onto the backyard grill, it slips from Mr. Bennett's grasp, through a neighbor's window and into a passing milk can. Further twists and turns in the plot eventually deliver the fish back to a sizzling grill; dinner is a success and the relationship of the old friends blossoms. Children will revel in the antic journey of the fish; Abolafia's softly hued, humorous watercolors make this a sweetly comic romance. Ages 5-up. (September)