Fodo Dodo goes fishing by Edouard Manceau

A gently humorous look at relationships and friendships is explored in this fishing story. Fodor Dodo and Noodle go fishing. They are dressed for fishing and have their lines ready, so readers will be amused when the page is turned to reveal them sitting in the bath. Fodor Dodo throws out his line and very soon he catches a fish. Noodle asks what sort of fish it is. He replies that it is an underguppie and goes into the kitchen to cook it. While Food Dodo stirs the pot, Noodle sets the table.

When all is ready, Noodle calls in Dimple to eat the fish with them. All their imaginative play is overturned when Dimple calls out that the fish is his and demands his underpants back. Fodo Dodo placates Noodle, taking her back to the bath to watch a movie, Return of the Underguppies. 

Gecko Press publishes curiously good books, and this is one that exemplifies their promise. 

Readers will love working out what is going on: they will engage with Fodor Dodo and Noodle as they use their imaginations to create a space in the bathroom emulating a boat and catching a fish. They extend their story to the kitchen where they cook the fish, readying to sit down and eat it. But Dimple deflates their story by pointing out the fish is not a fish but his underpants. He undermines the friendly imagining but they have the last laugh, returning to the bathroom to watch the dryer as the underpants go around. 

Children will relate to the imaginative playing of the first pair of friends and be dismayed when Dimple deflates their story. They will see that the two can shrug off their disappointment and return to the game they are playing. In this way readers will learn that they can be strong despite disappointment even from their friends.

Themes: Role playing, Games, Imaginative play, Undermining, Humour, Friendship.

Fran Knight