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Down by the River
Author Andrew Weiner and artist April Chu’s picture book Down by the A Family Fly Fishing Story is “an authentic, heartwarming story with a focus on family and togetherness” ( Kirkus Reviews , Starred Review).
One beautiful autumn day, Art sets out with his mother and grandfather for a fishing trip. Fishing days are Art’s favorite. He loves learning the ropes from Grandpa—the different kinds of flies and tackle and the trout that frequent their favorite river. Art especially appreciates Grandpa’s stories. But, this time, hearing the story about Mom’s big catch on her first cast ever makes Art feel insecure about his own fishing skills.
Then, as Art hooks a beautiful brown trout, he finds reassurance in Grandpa’s stories and marvels in the sport and a day spent with family, promising to continue the tradition with his own grandkids generations later.
Illustrated with lush imagery, Down by the River celebrates fishing, family, and fun.
One beautiful autumn day, Art sets out with his mother and grandfather for a fishing trip. Fishing days are Art’s favorite. He loves learning the ropes from Grandpa—the different kinds of flies and tackle and the trout that frequent their favorite river. Art especially appreciates Grandpa’s stories. But, this time, hearing the story about Mom’s big catch on her first cast ever makes Art feel insecure about his own fishing skills.
Then, as Art hooks a beautiful brown trout, he finds reassurance in Grandpa’s stories and marvels in the sport and a day spent with family, promising to continue the tradition with his own grandkids generations later.
Illustrated with lush imagery, Down by the River celebrates fishing, family, and fun.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published March 6, 2018
About the author
Andrew Weiner
1 bookAndrew Weiner is a longtime publishing professional and an avid fly-fisher. He lives in Albany, California.
Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
March 28, 2020
A young boy spends the day fly-fishing with his grandfather and mother in this lovely picture-book from author Andrew Weiner and illustrator April Chu. Listening to his grandfather's stories about his mother's first attempts, the boy feels somewhat insecure, especially after his first cast lands his line in a tree. Then his grandfather shares the story of his own first cast, while patiently helping the boy with his efforts...
I have never fished in my life, and know next to nothing about the subject, but the great fondness that Weiner has for the activity, and the sense of family closeness that it engenders in his characters, is readily apparent while reading Down by the River. This is as much family story as it is fishing adventure, although young children will certainly learn a great deal about fly-fishing, if they don't know it already. The artwork by Chu, done in charcoal pencil and then colored digitally, is really quite lovely. I particularly appreciated the decorative end-papers, which show a variety of flies used by fishermen. Recommended to anyone looking for picture-books about fishing and/or families interacting with one another in the natural world.
I have never fished in my life, and know next to nothing about the subject, but the great fondness that Weiner has for the activity, and the sense of family closeness that it engenders in his characters, is readily apparent while reading Down by the River. This is as much family story as it is fishing adventure, although young children will certainly learn a great deal about fly-fishing, if they don't know it already. The artwork by Chu, done in charcoal pencil and then colored digitally, is really quite lovely. I particularly appreciated the decorative end-papers, which show a variety of flies used by fishermen. Recommended to anyone looking for picture-books about fishing and/or families interacting with one another in the natural world.
November 27, 2017
Wonderful multi-generational story with lots of facts about fly fishing.
December 1, 2018
This is such a cute picture book and the illustrations are well done.
February 25, 2019
All about fly fishing w grandpa.
March 20, 2018
My husband and I first came across this children’s book on Instagram when a person my husband follows recommended it. We are both keen fans of the outdoors and my husband is obsessed with fly fishing. We even spent our honeymoon in Idaho and Montana (and in Yellowstone National Park).
This book is such a comforting read for us. It explores nature and family in a way that really appeals to children. The young boy in the story, Art, loves driving down to the river with his Mom and Grandpa. He loves to help pack up the car with everything they need for a day of fly fishing and loves listening to his Grandpa’s stories about taking Art’s Mom fly fishing when she was young. At the river, Art listens to the sound of the fly line move through the reel, and the sound of the water. He watches the trout move beneath the surface and watches his Mom’s perfect cast. And he is happy.
This is such a wonderful story about family and fishing, and about people being drawn back to the most natural of places. It is both sweet and informative, with illustrations that are beautifully presented. There is so much to look at here.
At the back of the book, there are facts about fishing, including rods, reels, conservation and catch and release, and details on essential apparel, such as waders, boots, vests and gloves (and sunscreen!). The front and back covers are also brimming with different types of flies, which our son loves to point out.
Down By The River is such a lovely read that will resonate with children who have an interest in fly fishing and parents who would like to spark an interest in fishing in their children. It perfectly captures the allure and the magic of the sport, as well as its appeal across multiple generations.
A charming celebration of a pastime that brings family together. Great for anyone with children and an interest in fishing.
This book is such a comforting read for us. It explores nature and family in a way that really appeals to children. The young boy in the story, Art, loves driving down to the river with his Mom and Grandpa. He loves to help pack up the car with everything they need for a day of fly fishing and loves listening to his Grandpa’s stories about taking Art’s Mom fly fishing when she was young. At the river, Art listens to the sound of the fly line move through the reel, and the sound of the water. He watches the trout move beneath the surface and watches his Mom’s perfect cast. And he is happy.
This is such a wonderful story about family and fishing, and about people being drawn back to the most natural of places. It is both sweet and informative, with illustrations that are beautifully presented. There is so much to look at here.
At the back of the book, there are facts about fishing, including rods, reels, conservation and catch and release, and details on essential apparel, such as waders, boots, vests and gloves (and sunscreen!). The front and back covers are also brimming with different types of flies, which our son loves to point out.
Down By The River is such a lovely read that will resonate with children who have an interest in fly fishing and parents who would like to spark an interest in fishing in their children. It perfectly captures the allure and the magic of the sport, as well as its appeal across multiple generations.
A charming celebration of a pastime that brings family together. Great for anyone with children and an interest in fishing.
January 3, 2019
This is a charming story about a boy going fly fishing with his mother and his grandfather. Grandfather reminisces about how he took the boy's mom fly fishing the same way, and imparts fishing lore.
The art is magnificent--and if you know an adult fly fishing enthusiast, they will probably adore the detailed illustrations of fly lures on the inner covers. For those who appreciate Kirkus style reviews, the boy, his mother and his grandfather are all white. The final spread apparently shows the boy as a grandpa himself, and in that picture he has an African American son in law, a daughter, and 2 bi-racial grandchildren.
But I can't see this having a wide appeal. I might have sent it to my nephew the fishing fanatic when he was younger, but it's not really going to be (so to speak) a mainstream favorite. It's more of a mood piece. This can work--certainly in the hands of the right author this could have had the feel of an EB White essay--but Weiner is no Andy White.
It's kind of like going fishing and catching a little sunfish instead of a huge trout.
The art is magnificent--and if you know an adult fly fishing enthusiast, they will probably adore the detailed illustrations of fly lures on the inner covers. For those who appreciate Kirkus style reviews, the boy, his mother and his grandfather are all white. The final spread apparently shows the boy as a grandpa himself, and in that picture he has an African American son in law, a daughter, and 2 bi-racial grandchildren.
But I can't see this having a wide appeal. I might have sent it to my nephew the fishing fanatic when he was younger, but it's not really going to be (so to speak) a mainstream favorite. It's more of a mood piece. This can work--certainly in the hands of the right author this could have had the feel of an EB White essay--but Weiner is no Andy White.
It's kind of like going fishing and catching a little sunfish instead of a huge trout.
March 15, 2019
Down by the River is the story of a grandpa, mom, and boy who go fly fishing. Andrew Weiner really hasn’t included much plot in the picture book. The family gets ready to go fishing. Once they get to their fishing spot mom goes off on her own while grandpa and boy fish together. Grandpa tells stories from when he was young and when the mom was young. I found the story to be boring, but I suppose if you are a fly fisherman the book could have more appeal. The book does end with a non fiction section on fly fishing that some may find interesting.
April Chu did a great job with the art work. She used charcoal pencil to draw the illustrations and then colored them digitally. The end papers are decorated with illustrations of different fishing flies.
Down by the River is a Children’s Choice Award finalist which is why I purchased it for my library. I probably would not have purchased it otherwise. I will be reading it to my students before they vote on their choice for the award.
April Chu did a great job with the art work. She used charcoal pencil to draw the illustrations and then colored them digitally. The end papers are decorated with illustrations of different fishing flies.
Down by the River is a Children’s Choice Award finalist which is why I purchased it for my library. I probably would not have purchased it otherwise. I will be reading it to my students before they vote on their choice for the award.
November 27, 2019
Art, his Mom, and his Grandpa are going fly fishing. It is Art's first time and he's excited. He's heard stories about Mom and Grandpa fishing, will he be able to do it?
A sweet story about passing on a family special spot and special activity. And the artwork is beautiful. (For those worried, the family does catch and release.) I don't know of a single other picture book that features fly fishing out there, so for those kids who love to fish, this will be THE book to get them. There's further information about fly fishing and its equipment, and what catch and release means, in the back of the book. I am not a fishing person, but I enjoyed the artwork and the sentiment of the story. Hand this to kids who like to fish or enjoy multigenerational family stories.
A sweet story about passing on a family special spot and special activity. And the artwork is beautiful. (For those worried, the family does catch and release.) I don't know of a single other picture book that features fly fishing out there, so for those kids who love to fish, this will be THE book to get them. There's further information about fly fishing and its equipment, and what catch and release means, in the back of the book. I am not a fishing person, but I enjoyed the artwork and the sentiment of the story. Hand this to kids who like to fish or enjoy multigenerational family stories.
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October 7, 2020Genre: Children's Literature — Realistic Fiction
Awards:
Audience: K - 2nd grade
How does the author help the reader connect with the character(s)?
The author helps the reader connect with the characters by creating an ideal or “classic” relational bond between the characters so that even if the reader did not have a good relationship with their family, they see the interaction between this one and are filled with warmth.
Discuss the topics present in this book.
The main topics presented in this book are family and love. The three generations of family and their dog go out to fish one evening and this story is just a retelling of that evening event.
Awards:
Audience: K - 2nd grade
How does the author help the reader connect with the character(s)?
The author helps the reader connect with the characters by creating an ideal or “classic” relational bond between the characters so that even if the reader did not have a good relationship with their family, they see the interaction between this one and are filled with warmth.
Discuss the topics present in this book.
The main topics presented in this book are family and love. The three generations of family and their dog go out to fish one evening and this story is just a retelling of that evening event.
July 7, 2021
Three big pluses: beautiful illustrations, a wholesome family unit, and nice visual glossary of fishing bait. Other than that, I was lukewarm about the story mostly because it demonstrated fishing for sport. The family didn’t even eat the fish, they just poked them with hooks, messed up their day, and threw them back into the water. And not because they were too small; the goal wasn’t to fish out of necessity. I don’t see value in teaching children that it’s cool to harass other beings for fun...just my two cents.
September 14, 2020
In this story, a young boy goes fly fishing with his mother and grandfather. The spend time together as a family while the young boy learns about different fish, fishing lures, casting, and family traditions that he will carry on.
Teaching points: family traditions, learning new skills, nature/outdoors, character/setting, oral storytelling
Suggested grade level: 3-4
Location: LES library, NC Kids Digital Libray (ebook & audio), Epic! (ebook)
Related reads:
Teaching points: family traditions, learning new skills, nature/outdoors, character/setting, oral storytelling
Suggested grade level: 3-4
Location: LES library, NC Kids Digital Libray (ebook & audio), Epic! (ebook)
Related reads:
November 28, 2017
Grandpa teaches the next generation about flyfishing while spinning stories about when he taught his grandson's mother to fly fish. My favorite spread is the closeup of Grandpa's two hand catch and release of the boy's brown trout catch. The endpaper displays of fly fishing lures and the fly fishing and conservation backmatter are bonus treats!
February 21, 2021
I'm not one for books about any type of sports, but the title drew me to this one and I must say without regret. Although it is a little wordy for my taste, I think it is a beautiful 'slice of life' story that celebrates the power of fly fishing to draw families together and back to cherished natural places.
September 7, 2018
Exceptional book telling the story of a grandpa, ma and grandson on his eight birthday. Not only is it a lovely story but also clearly explains fishing and has wonderful illustrations. A must book for any child who likes to fish!
February 22, 2018
Lovely inter-generational story with handsome handsomely illustrated by April Chu. Check out the beautifully rendered fishing flies on the end papers
March 12, 2018
A young boy, his mother and his grandfather build memories as they fly fish.
April 6, 2018
this is for the super duper fly fishing fan.
April 10, 2018
Lovely story with nice illustrations.
April 19, 2018
A nice way to introduce fishing to kids!
May 25, 2018
This book was had me in tears! Great story about fishing and passing on traditions.
January 4, 2019
Perfect for a grandfather/father/son read.
April 25, 2019
Not the best sign when the most interesting part of the book is the fly lures on the inside cover. The close ups of the fish and osprey are well rendered. Story was wordy and unmoving to me.
August 30, 2019
Beautiful story about fly fishing, family, and nature. Gorgeous illustrations including detailed drawings of flies.
September 5, 2021
How did I miss this book in 2018?!? Best/only flyfishing picture book I've ever seen!
September 9, 2021
Beautiful illustrations!
May 11, 2022
My son loves to go fishing so I thought this would be a good book to read, but it was a tad boring.
January 1, 2024
Bonito e interesante libro sobre pesca aérea.
March 8, 2024
This was written by my friend! What a lovely book <3
March 6, 2023
Follow the endearing journey as a grandfather, a daughter, and a grandson all come together to share a day of fly fishing.Little Art hopes he can be as good at fly fishing as his mom and grandfather. As he pulls on his waders and boots, Art imagines his first catch. Grabbing his rod and reel he remembers everything he's been taught and casts out his first line. Will little ARt be a natural like his mother and grandfather? You will have to read the adventure to find out.
Down by the River, by Andy Weiner and illustrated by April Chu is a beautiful introduction for little ones learning to fly fish, as well as a cherished keepsake for those who are experienced in the sport.
you can find more of my reviews and giveaways in my syndicated printed newspaper column: For the Love of Books-Dixon's Independent Voice, as well on my Instagram: amy_fortheloveofbooks
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March 28, 2018beautifully illustrated; sweet, gentle tale of family fly fishing
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews