Roger Is Going Fishing

Our story begins on the endpapers, as a city bus moves along a rainy street; the bus mostly blocks our view of a bicycle going in the same direction. On the title page the bicycle is revealed, ridden by Roger, dressed for a day outdoors, with little Emily behind, wielding a gigantic fishing pole and net, and Bob the basset hound in the basket up front. The three maintain the character traits and relationships (and outfits) introduced in Roger Is Reading a Book (rev. 5/15): resolute Roger means to get where they're going without incident; mischievous Emily will have her fun along the way; and the equanimous Bob remains unflappable. In successive spreads the trio passes pedestrians, and Emily snags something from each, calling out "ROGER! ROGER! I've got a bite..." They all make chase (think The Elephant and the Bad Baby, rev. 6/70), and eventually the entire band ends up in the river, where (after Roger himself finally gets a bite--and it turns out to be Emily) they climb ashore, light a campfire, and lay out a picnic. Careful readers will note that the pedestrians had all been passengers on the bus, and every time Emily's pole pilfers something from one of them, the next victim can be seen on the bus in the background, waiting to get off. This combination of careful composition and slapstick hilarity (not to mention the chantable repeated refrain, "Bumble-de-bump! Bumble-de-bump!") lets the reader enjoy the outing as much as Roger, Emily, and Bob do. Well, at least as much as Emily and Bob. thom barthelmess