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 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.
Praise
**STARRED REVIEW**Kirkus Reviews
"This book delivers an authentic, heartwarming story with a focus on family and togetherness."
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“I read Down by the River to my five-year-old granddaughter before fishing the next day. She loved it. It added a lot of excitement and knowledge to her fishing experience.”Yvon Chouinard, Founder of Patagonia Inc.
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"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."John Gierach, bestselling author of A Fly Rod of Your Own
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"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!"James Prosek, author of Trout: An Illustrated History and Trout of the World
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"Down by the River will charm children, parents and grandparents. Andrew Weiner’s captivating writing shows the joy that comes from companionship and the strength of family from generation to generation. I can’t wait to begin selling this treasure."Elaine Petrocelli, Owner, Book Passage Bookstore
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"The next best thing to fly fishing – reading about fly fishing. Read this book. Then go cast your own wooly bugger."Jon Scieszka, First National Ambassador for Children's Literature and Fly Fishing Junkie
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"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."Nikki McClure, author/illustrator of Collect Raindrops: The Seasons Gathered
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"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. "Rene Kirkpatrick, Children’s Book Buyer, University Bookstore, Seattle
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"A celebration of a quiet event that takes place in a child's life, is remembered through adulthood and passed on to the next generation. Beautiful. Priceless."Valerie Lewis, Owner, Hicklebee’s Bookstore
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"Down by the River captures the allure and passion of fly fishing, and the pursuit’s multi-generational appeal. It will resonate with seasoned fly fishers and no doubt hook future anglers into the sport.”Chris Santella, author of Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die and The Tug is the Drug
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"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!"Michelle Bellah, Children’s Book Buyer, Copperfield’s Books
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