Legend of the Ghost Buck

Hometown Hunters #1

by Lane Walker

Written Lane Walker, 2014 Fiction, Action & Adventure Sports, Recreation-Hunting Book 137 pages Bronze Moonbeam Children's Book Award The first book of the series in the Hometown Hunters Collection - Legend of the Ghost Buck, by Lane Walker, contains 137 pages of pure thrill and adventure. In the six-book series, Walker’s descriptive story telling brings each page to life, making it easy to see why these books received and deserved the Bronze Moonbeam Children’s Book Award. Hunting books for young readers are rare to find, so it was a no brainer to dive into these books to see what all of the hype was about among the thousands of reviews applauding Walker’s books. Legend of the Ghost Buck is a rollercoaster with twists and turns, ups and downs, about a boy, a bow and a buck that is a guaranteed page turner for hunters and non-hunters alike. After finishing the first book of the series, I knew I wanted to keep reading the adventure filled stories, and I know you will too. Book Thirteen-year-old Boone Mason has lived his entire life in Pikesville, Michigan. The small town that once was booming, has become dull and boring to him. This all changes when hints of a legendary, massive buck begin to appear in the town. Boone’s main passion in life is hunting, the love of the sport has been passed down from many generations. Both his grandfather and dad grew up being avid hunters, so it comes as no shock that Boone would have the same appreciation and interest. Boone sets out on a quest to strike gold in scoring this great buck, while at the same time learning important life lessons and overcoming obstacles along the journey. This thrilling adventure-packed book leaves readers guessing and wanting more, no matter if the reader is an avid hunter or not. Each chapter in Legend of the Ghost Buck portrays the captivating excitement of the hunt that Boone has set out on, along with a few other characters along the way.

Genres: Childrens, Young Adult, Novels, Juvenile, Kids, Fiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Ms. B]

Boone is obsessed with bagging the elusive ghost buck as his first deer. Told as a flashback leading up to the big moment when Boone has the opportunity. Will he make the kill or not? Even though many readers will know what the outcome of the hunt will be before the end, this is a short read with chapters (many with cliffhangers) that make it easy to keep reading. Part of the Hometown Chronicles series.
Anyone who is looking for a book for tweens who love hunting or the outdoors will want to give this story with a small town setting, traditional family and an old curmudgeon with a soft side a try.

[Audrey]

A very interesting story for young hunters. A monster size buck is reported to be in the area and Boone is determined to get it. There is a touch of faith and Boone has a good relationship with his grandfather. He eventually is able to start a relationship with his dad and the nasty neighbor next door. I enjoyed this story as it was a quick and easy read. As a non-hunter I would have preferred if the buck would have gone free but of course that is not the purpose of the story!

[Jamie Hop]

My nephew lent me this book :) it was very cute!

[Wyatt]

Anyone that likes the thrill of whitetail hunting will love this book. I personally loved it.

[Emmett Egley]

He got the ghost buck

[Alida Hudson]

My eight year old son LOVED this book. He said “This is the BEST book in the world.”

[Jessica Gibbons]

Good, clean, wholesome story for young boys. Scripture taken out of context, though. Typical mainstream big Eva stuff, but gives good opportunity to rightly explain it.

[Nick]

This was really good. Great for kids interested in shooting and hunting; perfect for young boys. It is written from a Christian perspective, which is awesome, and is totally appropriate for the entire family.

There are a few chapters that seem to go nowhere, lots of "hunting" where Boone looks for signs of the deer. The heart of the story is the relationship with his father; which I wasn't fully satisfied with at the end, and the book didn't seem to spend much time there.

Still, very worth the read. My kids were begging me to keep reading when we got into the climax, they didn't want to put it down and were fascinated by Boone trying to get the Ghost Buck.

[Summereyre]

My father-in-law found these books and bought the whole set. He thoroughly enjoyed reading these books and shared them with my kids. I thought I would read a few of them but the kids were struggling to share them with me!! haha This was a quick, enjoyable read and the author does a good job of teaching a few character lessons and developing his characters in such a way that the book was hard to put down.

[Terri Douglas]

What a great book for boys whose passions is to find that trophy. You can tell that the author shares the same passion for the outdoors as the characters.
I am definitely recommending this to my reluctant boy readers who don’t want to be in the confines of the classroom while their head and their heart are in the woods. This book will let them travel there.

[Rachel]

A nice story for Midwestern juvenile hunters. I like that the author incorporated faith in Jesus Christ into Boone’s actions.

Needs some editing in places:

1. The author uses “horns” and “antlers” interchangeably. But deer don’t have horns, they have antlers.
2. One or two places where the author used “your” when he should have use “you’re.”

[Sheila Dailie]

The sighting of a giant buck was clever and wise from all his year's avoiding hunters. Boone, a beginning hunter, learned a lot about hunting, tracking, and being a kind person.
Since I'm not a hunter, I was more interested in how Boone's family became friendly with old neighbor.
Restores one's faith in the goodness of humanity.

[Jake Hessler]

I would highly recommend reading this book if you are in to hunting and like the outdoors. Its a great book about bow hunting and is a great story to read.

[Trey]

Great book about hunting!

[Jeffrey]

I just began this book so far it is good. I am on page 15.

[Dawn Brinks]

Excellent book for young readers (boys) who love hunting.

[Brent]

It's a really good book if you like the outdoors and hunting.

[KK]

I’ve got fourth graders who love this author and series

[Kapaun]

It was good

[Jenn Jordan]

Colton (8 years old) rated this 5 stars!

[Sarah Bowling]

Clean, though unrealistic, story. It bothers me a lot when people use Philippians 4:13 to “magically” accomplish completely temporal things.

[AJ]

I see how some people would not like this book. It is very short, kind of childish, and almost like a comic book in the way they talk. I could see someone who likes a book with a lot of detail not liking this book. I could also see people who don’t like to hunt, not liking this book because that’s all its about hunting. It also could definitely upset some people with some of the stories and things they do when they hunt.

On the other hand, other people like hunting stories and simple text. I really liked this book. It was right up my alley, and I found it relatable. It was jam packed with action and was very entertaining. I also loved it because it was written in a way that made it easy to read. I’m often overwhelmed with bigger books that can be very hard to read and follow. Also, they can be very bland. I felt like this book was the opposite. It held my attention; it was fun, and I love hunting. I would highly recommend this book to people who consider themselves outdoorsy, or people who really enjoy hunting books. I would give it a 10/10 and can't wait to read it again and recommend it to my friends.

[Kaye S.]

**Audiobook and Paperback Read Along with my Son** This is the second Hometown Hunters series that my son and I have read together this year. And I have teared up at the ending of both books! I love being able to read a Christian based book with my son while sharing his interests of hunting. Lane Walker masterfully weaves Christian values into a gripping story of perseverance and family aimed at middle grade readers. The story is wholesome and perfect for any passionate hunters. I love how God is using Mr. Walker to create a Christian fiction hunting and fishing book genre for middle grade readers. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Jacob Schmitt]

Set against the backdrop of Michigan's hunting culture, this heartwarming tale follows Mason's rite of passage. Overcome with "buck fever," he is determined to hunt the elusive Ghost Buck using his new bow. However, the buck roams his neighbor's property, guarded by a fierce dog and an owner who threatens trespassers. With his father constantly working, Mason must find time to train for the big hunt. This hero's journey, set in a small-town hunting community, is sure to captivate children interested in this culture.

[Emily Cottle]

While it wasn't my favorite, I'm excited to recommend it to my students. I struggle to find books that will interest my outdoorsy kids, but this one is a solid option. I loved the setting--a quaint small town in Michigan. The writing could have used some polish, but the fast-paced chapters and focus on hunting will keep my 5th-8th grade boys (and girls) turning pages.

[Kinzie Moffitt]

My six year old son chose this book from our library and I was concerned he would quickly lose interest because there were no illustrations. But, I was wrong. He absolutely LOVED it.

This book also has completely wholesome themes: faith, family, facing your fears, and being kind to your neighbor and enemies alike. It was so refreshing!

[Leann S]

Young hunters should love this book. I thought I was reading the story of Albia's very own monster buck. The one disappointing thing is that the ending wrapped up way too quickly. Nevertheless, kids are going to love this series!

[Kelly Birmingham]

This is a great series for young readers or readers who struggle with reading. I have used it with students grades 4-9. Each story brings together an activity that young students love, but also a touch of mystery.

[Denise]

Huge reviews from my boys!

So thankful to finally have a BOY book.

[Carolyn]

Great outdoorsy book. It is very inspiring to be outside in the woods more just enjoying nature