Hunter's Choice

Thank you so much for the preview. This book had more layers than I expected and would be a solid recommendation for middle school boys in particular. (Especially boys interested in hunting)

**Spoiler Alert**
This is more exciting if you don't know what is going to happen, but I suspect that many teachers and librarians are not going to read the whole book, which gives lots of hunting play-by-plays and has some gory moments. If you intend to read this book and don't want to ruin the suspense, don't read this review!

Hunter's family is very involved in hunting in the wilds of Idaho. His great-grandfather built a hunting lodge that the family still uses. Hunter is finally twelve, and has completed a hunting safety course and is fully licensed for his first hunt. His marksmanship is excellent, so his dad is sure that he can take down a deer, although Hunter is less sure of his own emotional capacity to kill a living creature. When the time arrives to go to the lodge, he is disappointed that his cousin Yumi and her friend Annette are also coming along. Hunter likes his cousin; she's one of his good friends, and he has a tiny crush on Annette. Hunting has always been a bastion of male bonding for him, and he is afraid of embarrassing himself in front of his Uncle Rick, grandfather, dad, and now the girls. Annette is not allowed to touch guns, but is writing notes for an article for the school paper. Yumi is angry with her dad, a vet who has done tours in Afghanistan, and who has been struggling with some issues even though he has been back for quite a while. When Hunter has an impressive buck in his sites, he is unable to shoot it, although Yumi brings the animal down. The deer needs to be tracked, since it is fatally injured but still moving, and when his uncle twists his ankle, he and Annette are the ones to find the animal. The group starts to field dress the deer, and are almost attacked by a wolf. Hunter's quick thinking allows him to shoot the wolf not once, but twice, and he makes sure the animal is dead before lowering his rifle. He doesn't have a license to hunt a wolf, but Annette has taken video with her phone, so his uncle is able to provide proof to the local game warden that the wolf was shot in self-defense. Hunter still feels a little conflicted that he didn't shoot the buck, but Annette's article in the school paper about him saving the family from the attack lets him fend off the comments of jerky classmates with ease.
Strengths: So, here's my level of general squeamishness-- I don't eat much meat because I don't even like slicing it! This was a fantastic book even for someone like me, and for students who hunt, this is the equivalent of a Green or Lupica title for football players. There are so many wonderful details about what to wear when hunting, descriptions of equipment, and procedures and processes for safety. Even small things like getting up early and walking to where the hunting will take place is very thoroughly covered. Hunter's ambivalence is very realistic, and his fear that people will think he is a coward is interesting. Even better is his uncle's counsel that Hunter's reluctance was NOT in any way fear, but was motivated from an appreciation of the wild animal he was contemplating killing. I was a bit leery of the appearance of the girls in the story, but that ends up being rather inspired. Yumi's difficulties with her father are serious and addressed well, but don't interfere with the story. Annette is very invested in the experience and is a fantastic female character who holds her own in a totally foreign environment. This is a very fast-paced story which will hook readers right from the start. An excellent, excellent title.
Weaknesses: The pages in the E ARC turned soooo slowly, which was especially tortuous since the end of the chapters (where the book would freeze) were almost always cliffhangers! Paper versions will not have this problem, and this was such a tight, well constructed story that I can't really list any other weaknesses!
What I really think: This is definitely a must purchase for middle school libraries, especially where deer hunting is prevalent and Gebhart's There Will Be Bears (2014) is popular. Reedy writes such interesting books, and the details about hunting in Hunter's Choice will appeal to readers who hunt or who are interested in the sport, while discussing the philosophical aspects of it in a way that teachers and librarians will appreciate.

It’s his family’s annual hunting trip and Hunter is excited or is he? Could he kill a deer? What if he can’t? As they get to their camp, stories are retold and all the stuffed animal heads mounted on the wall are reminders how lives are connected to the hunt. Perfect ending that shows how one can learn a lot on a hunting trip.

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.

This is a well written book that would be the perfect read for any middle school hunter, boy or girl.. It has just enough action and drama to keep you turning the pages. This is a book every school library should have on their shelves. I really enjoyed reading this book. Thank you W. W. Norton & Company via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

My Review: 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!

My Rating: I really enjoyed this book and was so drawn into the story, I know a lot of young readers who will also really enjoy this book and be able to relate to it. I give it a rating of Four Paws!