Down by the River: A Family Fly Fishing Story
- Subject
- Sports & Recreation - Camping & Outdoor Activities
- Age
- 3-5 years
- Format
- Hardcover
- Pages
- 40
- Publisher
- Abrams Books for Young Readers
- Size
- 30.5 cm × 24.4 cm
- ISBN
- 9781419722936
Author Andrew Weiner and artist April Chu’s picture book Down by the River: A Family Fly Fishing Story is “an authentic, heartwarming story with a focus on family and togetherness” (Kirkus, 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.
About the creators
Andrew WeinerAuthor
Andrew Weiner is a longtime publishing professional and an avid fly-fisher. He lives in Albany, California.
April ChuIllustrator
April Chu is an architect and an illustrator of children’s books, including Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine and In a Village by the Sea. She lives in Oakland, California.
Data provided by BiblioShare.
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What reviewers said
STARRED REVIEW**
"This book delivers an authentic, heartwarming story with a focus on family and togetherness."
"Down by the Riveris a loving look at family traditions and flyfishing. And it's one of the best books I've read in years about the sport. It is lushly illustrated, packed with facts and fun back matter, and the endpapers filled with paintings of flies used in flyfishing will have you yearning to spend the day hip-deep in a cool, sunlit river. "
"Down By the River, like so many great children's picture books, is about more than what it seems on the surface. It IS an excellent introduction to fly fishing and all that that entails, but this book is also about family and learning from grandparents. The story is about passing down family traditions and appreciating the special moment that is now, which speaks to the mindful awareness many are striving to show children in books currently. Down by the River offers subtle wisdom about family, conservation, mindfulness, and of course, fly fishing!"
"This is a much needed and beautiful introduction, through story and drawings, to the wondrous world of fly fishing. Weiner's text weaves a lovely tale of a family outing on the river with detailed but not overwhelming technical information about our much loved past-time. With dialog and instruction between a boy, his mother and his grandfather (accompanied by their dog!) "Down by the River" connects us to nature as well as to a fabled tradition of angling literature originating with Izaak Walton's Compleat Angler of 1653. April Chu's drawings are exquisite!"
"This is a beautiful book; fun and informative to read, lovely to look at and simple enough for kids without being simplistic. I’d recommend it to children with an interest in fly-fishing or to parents who’d like to spark that interest. For that matter, I’d also recommend it to some of my more extreme fly-fishing friends for its humble, humane view of a sport that sometimes gets too fast-paced and competitive."
"Patient text for a patient sport, this is a quiet book that rewards. The stream and fish draws each generation to it. Makes me want to wade and wait and watch."
