A story set in the Jim Crow South features a young Black girl unwilling to let an invisible dividing line stand in the way of her desire to help someone in need. Reenie loves to fish with her mama, and they know the right bait to use to keep their lines busy. Pigeon, a poor white boy, and his brooding father who are fishing near them aren’t catching anything. Mama has made it clear to Reenie, and Pigeon’s father to him, that they are not to speak to one another. It’s the way things have always been, Reenie’s mama tells her. But when Pigeon’s sadness becomes impossible to ignore, Reenie reaches out, sharing her bait and advice. Andrea Davis Pinkney’s story underscores how important—and big—a seemingly small act can be. In her author’s note, she writes that even without Jim Crow laws, during her own childhood in New York, she felt as if she were on one side of an invisible fence, with white children on the other. Shane W. Evans’s illustrations vary from full-page artwork to smaller boxed images set against the backdrop of a running river. (Ages 5–8)

Reenie and her mama love to go fishing down by the river. But the peace of their idyllic fishing spot is often marred by the appearance of Peter Troop and his daddy. Peter is up-jumpy and loud, scaring the fish away. And the Troops harbor some resentment toward them, too. Peter and his daddy are fishing for food; Reenie and Mama fish for fun. The Troops are white; Reenie and Mama are black. And in the Jim Crow South, it is this last difference that is most significant. One day, when the Troops' fishing reel breaks, Reenie overcomes their mutual fear and mistrust to help Peter-an act that holds the promise of friendship and understanding. This is a moving story about two children crossing boundaries of race, class, and gender, and about small acts that make a big difference.