My First Fish: Kid's First Experiences by Samina Parkar is an introduction to fishing wrapped up in a family vacation story. Mason and his family head off to their favorite summer vacation spot, a cabin by the river. Mason is excited because his dad has agreed to teach him how to fish. They gather the supplies they need from a local store and then head out. Dad shows Mason how to get set up and how to wait patiently for a bite. Many species can be caught in this river, including sea bass, trout, and catfish. Will Mason catch his first fish? What will happen to any fish that he catches?

My First Fish is an enjoyable introduction to the sport of fishing. Samina Parkar captures the excitement that Mason feels as he embarks on his first fishing trip. Various aspects of fishing are discussed, such as catch and release and how to tell when you've caught something. Parkar also includes the fact that fishing requires patience. The illustrations are simple but bright and cheerful. I especially enjoyed the pictures that identified the several species of fish found in this river. This book would be an excellent choice to read before a child's first attempt at fishing. Parkar identifies the essential aspects of fishing and the joy of catching a fish, especially your first one. The book will be appreciated by seasoned anglers and new converts to the sport alike. Make sure to catch this one before your next fishing expedition.

My First Fish (Kid's First Experiences) by SaminaParkar is a children’s book that depicts the story and adventures of Mason and his family. The summer has come and the Jenkins family is going on vacation to a lodge cabin near a river. This summer is special because it is the first time his father was to take Mason fishing. Overjoyed and excited about his adventure, Mason is introduced by his father to the fascinating world of fishing and everything related to it, from live bait to proper equipment and the correct way to handle the fish when they are caught. What type of fish will Mason catch? What fish will be his favorite?

One of the aspects that I liked about My First Fish (Kid's First Experiences) by Samina Parkar was the beautiful colored simple illustrations. While the colored drawings were a big help for me to create a mental picture of what was described, the purpose of the uncolored ones is similar to a coloring-in book. Through them, a child reader could interact directly with the book if they chose to color them, and it would make their interaction more pleasant. I also liked the educative side of the book, including the variety of fish illustrated and the information about the proper way to handle fish for nature conservation purposes, as well as not to overharvest them.

My First Fish, both written and illustrated by Samina Parkar, is the story of the Jenkins family going to their favorite vacation spot in this latest installment of the children's picture book Kid's First Experiences series. Parkar starts with a family of four, a mother, father, daughter Sarah and son Mason in the car. The drive is described as long but worth the trouble as everyone loves going to the cabin. On their arrival, Mason and his dad immediately leave to get supplies and go for Mason's first fishing experience. He does make a catch and his dad explains the catch and release method and the omniscient narrator shows the different fish found in the river. Mason and his dad go back to the cabin where Sarah and her/Mason's mom have made fish and chips for supper.

Samina Parkar is an accomplished graphic illustrator and the Jenkins family is rendered colorfully and realistically. Mason's expressions show his mood and feelings clearly and the whole family is ethnically ambiguous, so their visual approachability to children of any heritage is effortless. Parkar's art is at its finest with her illustrative diagrammatic representation of the variety of river fish with the standouts being the beautiful jewel-toned California Golden Trout, the multi-hued pastel of the Coastal Rainbow Trout, and the dark-to-light green ombre color of the Green Sunfish. Parents will want to manage their children's expectations beforehand on the amount of assistance that may be necessary to read the story. They can set aside time for additional conversations on differences in family framework, including reasons why Sarah and Mom would rather be at home. Overall, as a conversation initiator and educational guide to the types of river fish, My First Fish is a good place to start.