Book Review: My First BB Gun, My First Rifle, My First Bow
As a gun enthusiast and supporter of the Second Amendment, I am often disturbed by the negative press that gun ownership sometimes receives. As a parent, I’m also disturbed by how often this anti-gun ownership propaganda seems to be aimed towards our children.
Of course, I have always been very proactive in educating my daughter about gun ownership and gun safety. I am always on the look out for age appropriate material that will help with that education process. But to be quite honest, there doesn’t seem to be much out there. That is, until now.
I recently became aware of a gun friendly children’s book series available at Little Sportsman Inc. Needless to say, I checked them out immediately.
After visiting the Little Sportsman’s site, I decided to give them a call. I was pleased to have a chance to talk with the author, Robert H. Jacobs, Jr. Robert was great to talk with and obviously had a passion for the books he has written. He explained that his books are divided into two different series:
“Little Jake” Series
- These five books feature a little boy, Jake, and his hunting adventures.
“My First” Series
- In each of these three books, a child receives his first BB gun, rifle or bow.
Within a week of talking with Robert, I received all eight books. This review will focus on the “My First” Series.
Upon opening my shipment from Little Sportsman, it was immediately apparent that these books are of very high quality. Each hardcover book has library quality side-sewn bindings. The 100 lb glossy pages are a full 8.5” x 11”.
But, for the real test, I had to bring in my little girl! She loves to read and was thrilled to be able to help Daddy with a product review!
The first night we read My First BB Gun and My First Rifle. On the second night we read My First Bow. Actually, let me rephrase that… I read these books to her. According to the author, these books are appropriate for ages 3 – 13. I’m guessing a child in Kindergarten – 2nd grade could handle reading these books without help. However, my daughter is a big fan of me reading to her, so how could I resist!
Each book is 32 pages and designed to be a quick read. But, when my daughter and I read, we tend to spend a long time on each page talking about the pictures. These books were great for that! The illustrations, done by Jared Beckstrand and Mark Swan are incredible. The colors are very rich and there is plenty of detail to discuss.
As I said, these books are designed to be read quickly. So, I won’t bother trying to describe the story lines. But, as a gun enthusiast, there were a few things that really stood out to me.
Of course I expected these books to cover safety. And, they did. But, they also discussed our right to own guns and the importance of taking proper care of our shooting equipment. This was done in a natural, non-preaching kind of way.
So, was my daughter a fan of these books? Absolutely! She even enjoyed My First Bow, despite the fact that she really hasn’t been exposed to bows yet.
Was I a fan of the “My First” Series? I certainly was. I was very pleased with the high quality construction and I appreciated the messages that were conveyed by the books. And most importantly, I enjoyed that they were something my daughter and I could share while actually learning something valuable. And that is what these books are all about.
For more information on these great books, visit www.littlesportsman.com.
Reviewed By: Greg Summers