Friday evenings are for fish fries at Granny’s, but this Friday is extra special. School is out, which means the young, Black narrator gets to join Granny in catching the fish. The day’s work begins before sunrise, but by the time they reach the pier at the Army post, the sky is glowing pink. Granny says a quick prayer before she and her grandchild are greeted like celebrities by the others at the pier; Granny’s the “fish magnet queen” who brings luck to everyone. Her grandchild helps Granny reel in a bucketful of “blue catfish and croakers, spots and speckled trout,” and then they head home to clean their catch and prepare a meal. Sensory details and cooking sounds pepper the page as Granny shows the narrator how to prepare the batter. It’s the narrator’s idea to turn the leftover batter into hushpuppies, which the two of them sample before the rest of the family arrives toting sides to complete the feast. Over the course of the story, Granny mentions a lot of favorites—the fillets, the batter, the hushpuppies—but spending the day with her grandchild is her “favorite, favorite, favorite part!” Vibrant, dynamic oil paintings add movement and excitement to a mouth-watering story.

In this mouthwatering companion to Soul Food Sunday, a child joins his grandmother in catching and cooking to prepare for the family’s fish fry.

Fish Fry Friday is the perfect follow-up to Soul Food Sunday, a beloved Coretta Scott King Book Award Illustrator Honor Book.

One special Friday when school is closed, our narrator finally gets to join Granny for her day’s routine. Rods and reels, lures and lines, bobbers and baits are packed in Granny’s Jeep.

Everyone cheers when Granny arrives at the pier—“the queen has arrived!” After reeling in the perfect catch together, they carefully scale and skin, cut and gut, batter and fry the fish into beautiful filets.

But the family meal isn’t complete until Grandson adds his own special side dish to the table—made just like Granny taught Momma, and like Momma taught him.

On Friday evenings, we go to Granny’s for a fish fry.
And on Friday mornings, Granny fishes.
This Friday, “You coming fishing with me,” Granny says.