My kids have a ton of books. We are a family that loves to read and have the shelves to show for it. But until now, we didn’t have a single book about kids and hunting—a sad thing for the children of avid hunters. When this deficiency dawned on me, I went hunting (online) for a good one and we all rejoiced when our copy of Grace Goes Bowhunting arrived in the mail.
SUMMARY
The author uses her own extensive hunting experience to paint a realistic picture of what a young girl’s first day in the field might look like. The main character, Grace, begins her first deer-hunting venture on a cold, dark morning with her mom as her guide. Grace is eager to put the archery skills she’s been honing to the test. As the day unfolds, she experiences the full range of first-time-hunter feelings—excitement, uncertainty, apprehension, and elation. Deer start coming into view and she finally makes her shot. By the end of the story, she’s overcome with another emotion—pride.
VERDICT
I love books that meet my “3-E” criteria—engaging, enlightening, and entertaining for the reader—and Grace Goes Bowhunting manages to succeed in all three legs of the trifecta. Not only did my two littles sit through an entire first reading, but they also asked questions and pointed out details they noticed in the beautifully detailed illustrations. After reading the book a second time, they made it known that they wanted to go hunting with Mom.
While it will be several years before they’re old enough to harvest their first animal, their interest in continuing our family’s hunting tradition makes my heart happy and I have a feeling that we’ll be using this book as a reference in the near future.
BONUS MATERIAL
Two fun activities are included in the back of the book!
Grace Goes Bowhunting is available on Amazon.
