Long Shot by Sigmund Brouwer

Long Shot by Sigmund Brouwer is book two in the Watch out for Joel! Series. It was copyrighted in 2002 and published by Bethany House Publishers. This Christian fiction 28 page book is for beginning readers ages 6-8. My three-year-old and five-year-old enjoyed having it read to them.

Joel, age seven and Ricky, age 13 are visiting their cousin, Lisa (13). Lisa and Ricky build a large slingshot and knock out a bull while trying to get a rock into the pond. Lisa’s father returns when the bull is tied to the tractor and conscious. Lisa wants to build a large slingshot to shoot rocks into the pond. When the slingshot is ready they use a rock that hits Old Black, a bull. Lisa decides she is going to tie Old Black to the tractor. After they tie up Old Black he wakes up and Lisa’s dad comes home. Lisa and Ricky tell what happened and her dad will untie Old Black. Lisa and Ricky learn from her father that they should never try to hide mistakes. Joel, Ricky and Lisa need to tell the truth and ask for forgiveness. Their parents can always help them.

Sigmund Brouwer is an award-winning author, who holds writing camps and classes for more than 10,000 kids each year.

The illustrations by Tammie Lyon are fun and realistic. My children and I enjoyed all of the illustrations.

The theme of the book is taken from Proverbs 12:22, honesty. The theme is first talked about in the front of the book about the being honest. At the end of the story there is a lesson about honesty and discussion questions that can be talked about as a family.

This book shows all of us we should be honest. If we are not honest the lies will catch up to us. As young children we can always count on our parents to help and support us.

I liked how this book repeated lots of phrases so a young reader can have words reinforced. It did not like how Lisa and Ricky treated Joel as if he knew nothing. They did not need to keep repeating, “what do you know?”

I would recommend this 6x9” paperback book to everybody. It is a fun, exaggerated way to teach about honesty.