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Review by Ed Borowiec Professor Emeritus, Linguistic, California State University, Long Beach, CA For those would-be anglers who have earnestly tried the challenges of fishing Minnesota's many beautiful lakes and rivers to no avail, now comes the answer in the form of a delightful book for children of all ages authored by Dr. Z - also known as Ed Zottola, Professor Emeritus of Food Science at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Zottola, Lake Vermilion resident, is an avid fisherman, a lake conservationist, and a creative grandfather. Willie Walleye: Underwater Adventures is the book, and it issuperbly illustrated by Nancy Scheibe. Singing River Publications of Ely MN is responsible for the final product, which sells for $14.95 in Cook, Virginia, and elsewhere. This mid-size paperback is printed on quality paper, and by any account, would be a fine addition to any home library or bookshelf where children and grandchildren typically explore and learn. Dr. Z's original intent in developing the tales within the book was to entertain his two oldest granddaughters a decade ago. Each of the fourteen stories has its own unique purpose and structure, with characters moving in and out of many of them but, ultimately, each tale leaves us with a message--a moral if you will -- that children would do well to learn and adults to re-learn. Willie is obviously the most intriguing character in Big Fish Lake and his adventures are the thematic glue keeping the entire work unified. If we could catch Willie, we might be tempted to place him on the psychiatrist's couch to see what makes him so clever and efficient. Willie and his mentor and buddies- Grandpa Ole Walleye, Bernie Bass, Wendy Walleye (Willie's erstwhile girlfriend), Wilma and Winston Walleye (Wendy's friends), and others enjoy many types of exciting activities and challenges in their underwater environment. They learn to work and play together to solve problems and take full advantage of what their lake offers. Yet, they must also be aware of the many dangers that lurk above and below the surface of the water-creatures such as Monster Max Muskie, Midnight the cat, Ernie Eagle, and Harry Northern Pike. Confrontations with each of these threats teach Willie and his friends how to be creative and thoughtful in their quest for survival. Willie survives and thrives in his underwater adventures by using his natural abilities, quick instincts, and the special tricks he learned from others - particularly Grandpa Ole. Some of us frustrated fishermen have known for years that the perfect Willie Walleye, or any walleye for that matter, has eluded us because the fish are far more clever than we are. They know how to avoid our enticements; they know how to make fools of us; and finally, they know how to eat our bait without tugging on the line. Fish like Willie Walleye and his friends usually outsmart us, leaving us in the boat or on the dock with frustration building for hours. Even so, we would do well to read about Willie Walleye's adventures after we've cast our lines. The fish stories in the book will likely prove far more fascinating than the stories we're generating in the boat or on the dock. Of course, we could always make something up about "the one that got away." |
