If you haven’t heard about the Fish on Kids Books by author, Kristine (K.J.) Houtman, you’re going to want to check them out (literally). The books have great storylines for young readers, second through sixth grade, and are all about kids fishing, camping and hunting. Three books in the series have been released, with a fourth book due out Dec. 1., 2011, entitled Duck, Duck, Deuce.
Fish on Kids Books. Four in a series of children's outdoor adventure books by Kristine (K.J.) Houtman. Photo courtesy K.J. Houtman.
In Book One, A Whirlwind Opener, you’ll meet Gus Roberts, a fifth grader, who is anxiously awaiting opening weekend fishing with his family. Not only is Gus excited about the upcoming fishing trip, he can hardly wait to get away from the school bully, Matt Driver. As often happens with well-planned events, things turned out a little differently than Gus had hoped, but the adventures along the way will keep you flipping the pages to the end.
Driving Me Crazy, the title of Book Two in the series, sets the scene for Gus’ Memorial Day weekend camping trip around the headwaters of the Mississippi River and Lake Itasca. Gus is hoping the time spent camping will give him a chance to reflect on the trouble Matt, the school bully, is causing and hopefully arrive at some solutions. In this book, Gus and his new friend, Drew, share some adventures of their own, even when the going gets tough.
Gus’ mom and dad spring a surprise on the family on the last day of school in Book Three, Spare the Rod. Jake, Gus’ older brother, isn’t too happy about the unexpected detail, but Gus is so ready for summer vacation, he couldn’t be happier. A trip to Wisconsin for a cousin’s high school graduation poses good times and not so good times, and Gus spends some gravel travel time with his dad where adventure and surprise await along the way.
Fish On Kids Books make great stocking stuffers. Photo courtesy Tammy Ballew.
Your children or grandchildren are going to love these books and will no doubt be anxiously anticipating the release of the next in the series. What a great Christmas gift idea for the youngsters in your life. I’ve got to warn you though, after reading this series, they’re going to want to experience the great outdoor world of fishing, camping and hunting for themselves!
The author, K.J. Houtman, is no stranger to the outdoor industry and communities. In the early ’90s, Ms. Houtman worked at the American Sportfishing Association and spent the next 15 years with a media company involved in producing North American Fisherman and North American Hunter magazines, along with their skill-building books, television shows, custom-produced events and web-based connectivity. Not surprisingly, Ms. Houtman is an accomplished marketer and noted public speaker.
For more information about the author and about this remarkable series of outdoor adventure books for children, go to www.fishonkidsbooks.com.
About Tammy Ballew
Tammy THANK YOU SO MUCH! I had not heard of this series and our library is working very hard to build a great outdoor collection for both children and adults! In fact our summer reading program is going to be “Camp Read-A Lot” with obviously an emphasis on the outdoors – You always bring such nifty things to my attention!
Great Christmas idea for my nephew Hunter! Sweet artwork on the cover.