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Young Sue enjoys spending Sundays doing yard work with her three older siblings, who are often busy throughout the rest of the week. She helps wherever possible. One day, her siblings announce their intention to create a pond area, which makes Sue especially excited. She looks forward to having some fish friends in addition to her pet dog, Sunny. The siblings work together to create the foundation of the pond, and over the course of several weeks, they put in the sand, water, and other elements appropriate for that environment. Sue learns about capillary action from her brother, used in moving the water about, and before long they have a nice fishpond. There is an occasion when Sue seeks to clean out the pond all by herself and accidentally sucks a fish into the hose in the process. However, she comes to the rescue just in time, and everyone laughs about it later. The project brings their family closer than ever.
It is refreshing to come across a story about siblings who get along so well despite their different ages. Sue is quite young, but she gets regular, weekly opportunities to spend quality time with her older sisters and brother. This story sets a good example for young readers by showing family members engaged in outdoor activities, creating fond memories together in the same way they create the fishpond. The whole concept is simply wholesome and fun to read about. Further, it is a nice way to introduce children to the science of capillary action, which could lead to a live demonstration of the concept. This tale is especially appropriate for children in large families like Sue’s, who might worry about being left out of fun activities due to their age. Sue demonstrates that they can still contribute in their own special ways but that they should be thoughtful and responsible while doing so.