Hunter's Choice

by Trent Reedy

This propulsive adventure takes readers on a first hunt in the American wilderness―and face to face with the choice to kill or not to kill. Twelve-year-old Hunter Higgins has been dreaming about his first hunting trip for as long as he can remember. He’s taken the classes, earned his license, and become one of the best marksmen in his family. Now he’s old enough to join his father, grandfather, and uncle at their cabin for the first weekend of hunting season. There’s only one Hunter isn’t sure he can kill an animal. To make things more complicated, when they arrive at the cabin, his cousin Yumi is there with her friend Annette, who Hunter secretly has a crush on. Anxious about the hunt and the humiliation of possibly failing, Hunter grapples with what it means to have the power of life and death in his hands, and must decide what role he wishes to play in his relationship to nature and to wildlife.

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Childrens, Middle Grade, Adventure

176 pages, Hardcover

First published March 2, 2021

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many thanks to EdelweissPlus and the publisher for providing me with a DRC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

Overall, this book is exactly what it claims to be: the story of a young boy (Hunter Higgins) who gets to go with his family on his first official hunting trip. He is finally 12, has passed all of the courses and gotten his license, and he's been target shooting for years. But now, with the task of actually killing an animal upon him, he's worried he won't be able to take the shot. To make matters worse, his cousin Yumi, and her friend Annette, show up at the cabin for the weekend as well. Yumi is ready for her first hunt, Annette is writing for the school paper, and Yumi's dad is hoping to be able to spend some time with her. As the weekend progresses, Hunter has two chances to take down a huge deer. As he watches them through the field, he has to decide if he really wants to be the one to kill the animal. And when danger approaches later in the day, he has to figure out how to protect those he cares about.

This is a solid choice for middle grade readers. It is also a good addition to collections since the topic (hunting) isn't usually written about. The plot line is a bit cliche and the ending somewhat predictable, but overall, it's a decent book. Recommended for grades 5-8.

[Leigh Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

An e-ARC was provided by Netgalley.

Hunter's Choice by Trent Reedy is a much-needed book in my classroom library. I have many boys who are outdoorsmen, and I do not have books to fill this need. The exploration of human life and our role in wildlife is appropriately done for this age group. It has just enough suspense to keep the reader's attention and keep them turning the page. I can't wait to purchase this one for my classroom library.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review: I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley, the following is my honest review and opinion. I am always on the hunt for books with male protagonists that I can add to my son's library, this one captured my attention as Munchkin has recently started getting into shooting sports. I really enjoyed this book, the family and tradition aspect of it really brought me home, my family hunted for the meat and it was a whole family endeavor. I also really appreciated the aspect of taking a life and how it was handled throughout the story. The inclusion of not only the male family members was also great. I really enjoyed this story and even with being a shorter book and written for younger readers, I was completely drawn in and felt like I was there. It had me laughing, tearing up and my heart racing. I can't wait for Munchkin to read this book, we will definitely be adding it to our shelves!

[Gretchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twelve-year-old Hunter Higgins has been waiting for his first hunting trip forever. He has taken all the courses, knows about gun safety, and is the best marksman in his family. Despite all of this, he is nervous. He doesn't know if he can actually kill an animal. It doesn't help that his cousin Yumi and his crush Annette crash what is supposed to be an all guys hunting weekend. Hunter doesn't want to be a coward, but when he misses his chance at The Phantom his family doesn't really understand why. Can Hunter prove himself worthy of his name? This book explores what it is to be a hunter and what it is to be a killer. I would recommend this book to young hunters, those who are thinking about getting into hunting, and just those who want to know more about hunting in general.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

What stands out about this one is the authentic touch of hunting culture - the gun safety, the rituals, the dirty parts. I feel like I haven’t really seen a book for kids that focuses on this and I appreciate it. Not that hunters may feel excluded in literature, but for kids who already are familiar with it, it’s nice to see it talked about positively.

I also like how Uncle Rick is trying to grapple with his war experience. The author seemed to lean on his own knowledge - and I say this because those moments are when the conversation felt authentic.

Other times, the adults felt flat. Some plot point felt odd or rushed. But I do like that it talks about some heavy moral issues in an age-appropriate way. Some gore, in terms of field dressing. Thank you to Norton Young Readers for an ARC!

[Rebecca Caufman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is based on an ARC of Hunter's Choice that was sent to my school library.

I was surprised that once I began Hunter's Choice I could not put it down. I read it in one sitting. I really enjoyed the dynamics between Hunter, Yumi, and his Uncle Rick. If I was going to make a suggestion to improve the storyline I would remove the mother librarian and teen journalist Annette. I have never been hunting but I learned so much about the sport by reading this book. This story tells about a 6th grader's first hunting trip with his family. It is exciting to read and you feel like one of the characters on the hunt. The anticipation to see what happens and if they catch anything will keep readers engaged until the end.

[Sharon Layburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

5th gr. & up
Hunter's Choice is a winner! This middle grade book is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts, and had me completely involved in the story of a boy participating in his first family hunt- with thrills and coming of age revelations moving the story along.

There are descriptions of the hunt (obviously), with some detail about the kill and the consequent preparations of the carcass, and discussions of the war experiences of Hunter's uncle, but not terribly graphic in my opinion- about what you'd expect, given the main topic of the book.

This ARC was provided by Norton Young Readers, in exchange for an honest review.

[Mary Louise Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hunter Higgins is finally twelve years old and is ready for his first hunting trip in Idaho. This is a rite of passage in his family, but he's worried he won't be able to pull the trigger to bag his first deer because he doesn't know if he can kill something. There are many hunters in my family, but I've never experienced hunting except through their stories. This authentic story gave me a close up view of the rituals and hard work involved in hunting. Students who hunt or those who want to vicariously hunt, will enjoy this story.

The realistic people and the deer depicted on the cover drew me in.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would take 100 more books like this one! Thank you @nortonyoungreaders for the ARC of Hunter’s Choice, which comes out Tuesday 3/2!! This is the perfect fit for students who want hunting stories. This middle grade book chronicles Hunter’s first time being old enough to go on opening weekend. Will he shoot a deer? What about when his cousin Yumi and her best friend tag along?
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This book is exactly what it’s like to be along with the guys for the yearly gun deer season. I’ll be buying at least two for my students and I bet it will never be on the shelf!

[Marta-Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

Finally a book to recommend to budding hunters! A 12-year-old boy on his first hunting trip struggles with whether or not he'll be able to actually kill an animal and what his family will think of him if he can't. Reedy accurately captures the atmosphere and nostalgia of a family deer camp and lightly weaves in sensitive family issues, giving the story a bit more depth than at first glance. For fans of hunting, adventure, survival stories, and realistic fiction in 4th grade and up.

[Yapha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful look at the world of hunting and the conflicting feelings around taking a life. Hunter has grown up knowing that he would be joining his family's hunting legacy, I mean, look at his name! He has mixed emotions as he turns 12 and the time for his first hunt with his dad, uncle, and grandfather approaches. The weekend is full of surprises and nothing turns out as expected. Highly recommended for grades 5 & up.

[Patti Sabik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book about hunting. I’m not necessarily opposed to the sport, but I’ve never been and have no plans to learn. I was educated on how much more ethical hunting is than most ways of obtaining meat, and I was genuinely impressed by the rigorous training involved in gaining and retaining a license. The story itself dealt with many of the moral issues that I would grapple with if I were to ever contemplate trying the sport. Adding the mild “crush” element added considerably to Hunter’s dilemma and raised the stakes.

[Laura Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will be popular w my students who hunt. Love the length, too.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Middle grade fiction. ARC. Ending was not quite real. The warden would have confiscated the wolf because it was not in season. Wolf attacks are extremely rare.