What a terrific read this book is! It will take you back to the “good old days” of childhood as you learn about young Billy Rufus and his trips to town on his “trusty bike” and the fishing he loved to do. He just wished for his busy dad to fish with him. Unfortunately, Billy’s few friends don’t share his love of fishing.

Chris W. Weston uses great imagination in describing young Billy riding his bike while holding on to his fishing equipment, looking like a medieval knight as he holds the fishing pole in front of him as if it were a jousting stick. Billy enjoyed fishing but would often release the fish because they were too small or he didn’t know how to clean them. The reader will get to know this character very well and the book has good humor too as Billy is complimented on the walleye he catches and decides right then and there that he loves walleyes! Billy has a nice birthday when his mother buys him the lure he wanted and his dad gives him a new, crisp $20 bill but it quickly changes when he loses a big fish and his lure at the same time.

Billy plans to enter a big tournament and he can’t contain his excitement. Billy’s enthusiasm grows even bigger when he learns who his fishing partner is to be, someone who has won several tournaments, and a surprise awaits Billy regarding his lost lure. The goal for Billy is to get Hawgeye, the big one that got away. But Billy gets so much more than that when he discovers there is more to his fishing partner than he could have ever guessed.

This book is a wonderful tale for not only people who enjoy fishing and kids, but for anyone who appreciates a good story with imagination, a reminder of childhood, and a surprise ending. We happily award our Dove “Family-Approved” Seal to this wonderful book. Get a copy soon and place your eyes on the pages of “Hawgeye.” You will be glad you did.