Book Reviews: Summer Journeys

Some of us will be buried in the new Harry Potter this summer – others will want real life. Catching fish, for example. Watery adventures will be vastly improved with a copy of Hook, Line, & Seeker: A Beginner’s Guide to Fishing, Boating and Watching Water Wildlife (Scholastic, $12.95; ages 9 to 12). Veteran nature-writer Jim Arnosky compiles a fascinating handbook for lovers of nature – directions, advice, lists of fish from different regions, drawings and photographs of everything he writes about. The book is packed with personal stories and useful stuff – such as how to row your boat, how to choose tackle, and what to do with the fish you’ve caught. Flexible binding makes this ideal for carrying aboard a boat.