Hunting season has started in many areas, and we couldn't be happier. My husband and I grew up in hunting families and spent most winters eating venison, elk, duck, and other wild game. Autumn brings back beautiful memories for us—which is why we created a children's book about hunting called My First Book of Hunting ABC!
Why a Children's Book About Hunting?
This book is truly a love letter from my husband and I to the communities we grew up in. For me, that is a small village in Alberta, Canada, nestled in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. My hometown is a breathtaking, magical place filled with farms, ranches, and vast expanses of wilderness.
My husband grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He and his family are die-hard Packer fans and avid hunters. It's safe to say the same for many Wisconsin residents. Hunting is a way of life, and a time-honored tradition passed down through generations.
Only a few children's books about hunting existed, and we had the background and skills to bring a book like this to life, so we got to work.
How We Created the Book:
My husband started writing the text and quickly decided that the book needed to be written in rhyme. If you've ever tried writing in rhyme, you'll know it's a difficult task. It took dozens of revisions and plenty of feedback from early readers and editors before we got it right.
Next came the illustrations. I knew the artwork should be cute and appeal to young children, but that was more challenging than anticipated! The animals needed to look realistic enough to be identified but simple enough to look like stuffies. I naturally draw in a realistic style, so my illustrations kept getting too life-like, and I would have to start over.
It took about eight months to complete all the illustrations for the book. Several of them had to be redone two or three times before I was happy with them.
Layout and design came last. My husband and I spent days looking through other picture books and identifying fonts that would work well with my illustrations. After reading twenty books or so, we finally settled on a couple of fonts. I created colorful camouflage prints and added them to the alphabet letters on each page.
After ordering printed proofs and making final adjustments, our beautiful children's book about hunting was finished!
All in all, it took about a year to get from idea to publication day.
Early Feedback:
When we set out to create a children's book about hunting, we weren't sure if people would like it. However, the response to our book surprised us.
Right away, we received several glowing reviews from early readers who described it as “delightful and educational” and “a quick, pleasant read-aloud.”
Librarians, teachers, and hunting outfitters in small towns and rural areas all over North America have told us how much they love the book. Their enthusiasm is infectious, and I am grateful to all the wonderful people who have supported and encouraged us on this journey.
The best part of this entire experience is knowing that children in small towns are reading a book inspired by them. This book is about family, spending time outdoors, and creating memories. It's a love letter to the people and places that we call home.
My First Book of Hunting ABC
by Andrew McMurdie, illustrated by Dena McMurdie
Ages 2-5 | 34 pages | On sale: 9/5/2023
