STEAMBOAT ANNIE AND THE THOUSAND-POUND CATFISH

Ill-tempered, big as a bus, and just not a music lover, Ernie the catfish comes down like a hammer on the tune-loving Ohio River town of Pleasant, chomping on Cherry’s ferry, Tom Sawyer’s raft, Doc’s dock, and even the local church. And who’s to stop him? None other than Steamboat Annie (not to be confused with Tugboat Annie, though come to think of it, not all that different), fresh from beating archrival Jefferson Johnson in a mayoral race, the anchor throw, and even arm wrestling. Wright debuts with a high, wide, supremely tall tale, trippingly related and illustrated with Fine’s funniest pictures since Piggie Pie (1995). The opening scene, in which the fine folk of Pleasant, along with their children, livestock, and even the pale Moon in the sky, are all seen bellowing out operatically, is alone worth the price of admission. But the battle between Annie, a barefooted, red-haired Carol Burnett look-alike, and the slimy, whiskered leviathan will bring readers out of their seats. A showstopper. (Picture book. 7-9)