Published by Imprint

Summary:  When she was two years old, illustrator Robbi Behr’s family bought a piece of land in Coffee Point, Alaska to start a commercial salmon fishing business.  She and her sister and brother return every summer to keep the business gong.  This story is told from the viewpoint of Robbi (and her author husband Matt Swanson)’s oldest daughter who gets to be part of the fishing crew for the first time.  Starting with the bush plane ride that gets them there, readers learn each step of the salmon fishing process that is hard work but ultimately rewarding.  The last four pages are a note from Behr that gives the history of her family’s connection to Coffee Point, including photos and additional scientific information.  48 pages; ages 4-9.

Pros:  I really loved this book for both the beautiful illustrations of Alaska and the fascinating true story of this family’s summers there.  I can’t wait to share this story with kids at my school to give them a glimpse of an unusual way to spend the summer.

Cons:  I only know Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr from their excellent The Real McCoys series and have somehow missed their other picture books.