Papa's Mechanical Fish
Candace Fleming, illustrated by Boris Kulikov
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Candace Fleming and illustrator Boris Kulikov pair up to tell a fun story about a real submarine inventor in Papa's Mechanical Fish
Clink! Clankety-bang! Thump-whirr! That's the sound of Papa at work. Although he is an inventor, he has never made anything that works perfectly, and that's because he hasn't yet found a truly fantastic idea. But when he takes his family fishing on Lake Michigan, his daughter Virena asks, "Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a fish?"—and Papa is off to his workshop. With a lot of persistence and a little bit of help, Papa—who is based on the real-life inventor Lodner Phillips—creates a submarine that can take his family for a trip to the bottom of Lake Michigan.
CCBC Choice (Univ. of WI), Vermont Red Clover Children's Choice Award Master List, Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award Master List, Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year, Indiana Young Hoosier Award Master List, Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice A. ML, Vermont Red Clover Children's Choice A ML
Praise for Papa's Mechanical Fish
“Fleming's telling is lively, humorous, and specific.” —The Horn Book
“A humorous tribute to the zany, determined and innovative side of invention.” —Kirkus Reviews
“There's a rich history of batty inventor/tinkerer dads in children's books, and the girl narrator's father in this book could hang with the best of them.” —Booklist
“*The exuberant and inquisitive tone of this book is sure to entertain curious children.” —School Library Journal, starred review
Reviews from Goodreads
Candace Fleming
Candace Fleming
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Boris Kulikov
Boris Kulikov
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