Window Fishing

Author DK Dyson
Illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez
Look inside
A heartwarming story about finding joy in art and intergenerational friendship illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Rudy Gutierrez.

Rudeday dreams of creating art that brings people joy but instead, he paints to pay the bills. His days and nights are long, until one day he hears a Tap! Tap! Tap! at his window. What could it be? Rudeday sees a piece of string with a paper clip tied to the end of it, coming from the apartment upstairs. Rudeday has a brilliant idea.

Rudeday carefully paints a fish and attaches it to the paper clip, starting a window-fishing exchange with a little boy upstairs. The pair swap paper fishes back and forth every day. Rudeday is finally painting for fun but he wonders if he will ever meet his window-fishing friend.

A heartwarming story that celebrates art, friendship, and community that is sure to pull at your heartstrings.
  • SELECTION | 2023
    Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best Books
  • SELECTION | 2023
    New York Public Library Best Books for Kids
DK Dyson is a vocalist and composer who has devoted herself to community wellness and empowerment through her global performances, workshops, and seminars. She is also a yoga instructor who specializes in training survivors of assault and abuse. Window Fishing is her picture book debut. She is the mother of musician Sandflower Dyson and lives in New Jersey with her husband Rudy Gutierrez and their singing dog Niyolo. Learn more about her on instagram @dkydyson_author.

Rudy Gutierrez is the Caldecott-honor-winning illustrator of Double Bass Blues. Other awards he has received for his art include a Pura Belpré Honor, an Américas Award, a Children's Africana Book Award, and a New York Book Award. A Bronx native, he now lives in New Jersey with his partner DK Dyson and teaches illustration at the Pratt Institute. In 2002, he was commissioned to create the cover for Santana's multi-platinum album Shaman, and his art hangs in the private collections of musical icons Carlos Santana, Clive Davis, and Wayne Shorter, among others. Learn more at altpick.com/rudygutierrez or on instagram @rudy_gutierrez_art.

Classroom Activities for Window Fishing

Classroom activities supplement discussion and traditional lessons with group projects and creative tasks. Can be used in pre-existing units and lessons, or as stand-alone.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

About

A heartwarming story about finding joy in art and intergenerational friendship illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Rudy Gutierrez.

Rudeday dreams of creating art that brings people joy but instead, he paints to pay the bills. His days and nights are long, until one day he hears a Tap! Tap! Tap! at his window. What could it be? Rudeday sees a piece of string with a paper clip tied to the end of it, coming from the apartment upstairs. Rudeday has a brilliant idea.

Rudeday carefully paints a fish and attaches it to the paper clip, starting a window-fishing exchange with a little boy upstairs. The pair swap paper fishes back and forth every day. Rudeday is finally painting for fun but he wonders if he will ever meet his window-fishing friend.

A heartwarming story that celebrates art, friendship, and community that is sure to pull at your heartstrings.

Awards

  • SELECTION | 2023
    Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best Books
  • SELECTION | 2023
    New York Public Library Best Books for Kids

Author

DK Dyson is a vocalist and composer who has devoted herself to community wellness and empowerment through her global performances, workshops, and seminars. She is also a yoga instructor who specializes in training survivors of assault and abuse. Window Fishing is her picture book debut. She is the mother of musician Sandflower Dyson and lives in New Jersey with her husband Rudy Gutierrez and their singing dog Niyolo. Learn more about her on instagram @dkydyson_author.

Rudy Gutierrez is the Caldecott-honor-winning illustrator of Double Bass Blues. Other awards he has received for his art include a Pura Belpré Honor, an Américas Award, a Children's Africana Book Award, and a New York Book Award. A Bronx native, he now lives in New Jersey with his partner DK Dyson and teaches illustration at the Pratt Institute. In 2002, he was commissioned to create the cover for Santana's multi-platinum album Shaman, and his art hangs in the private collections of musical icons Carlos Santana, Clive Davis, and Wayne Shorter, among others. Learn more at altpick.com/rudygutierrez or on instagram @rudy_gutierrez_art.

Guides

Classroom Activities for Window Fishing

Classroom activities supplement discussion and traditional lessons with group projects and creative tasks. Can be used in pre-existing units and lessons, or as stand-alone.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

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