The Deer Watch

by Pat Lowery Collins, David Slonim (Illustrator)

Feel the anticipation — and share the moment of discovery — as a young boy and his dad set out to find one of nature’s unforgettable wonders.

A father promises his young son that this summer they will see a deer. They set out over the dunes, through the marsh, and into the woods, searching for a white-flag tail or a set of leaping legs. But deer are hard to find, especially if your feet want to dance and your nose tickles until you sneeze. Squirrels scurry up trees, rabbits leap out of sight, and a pheasant flushes into the sky, but the deer remain hidden until the boy is almost ready to give up and head home. A captivating, lyrical narrative and oil-on-linen landscape illustrations create a sense of quiet suspense as a young boy experiences a sight he will hold in his memory forever.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Nature, Childrens, Family

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 9, 2013

About the author

Pat Lowery Collins is the author of many acclaimed novels and picture books. She was inspired to write HIDDEN VOICES when she learned that Antonio Vivaldi wrote countless concertos to showcase the talents of orphan girls — and snare husbands for a lucky few. She lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Sandy Brehl]

After reading this I asked someone to read it to me without the illustrations, just to evaluate the text more objectively. The illustrations, right down to the brush strokes, were so spellbindingly evocative that I wasn't able to decide how much I was reacting to the book as a whole.
It worked. Without the images the words developed a life of their own: the young narrator's rapt attention, dancing feet, and anxious hopes for a sighting touching my heart.
Together, they form a work of art.

[Patricia Kemp Blackmon]

Father and son take a walk with the intent to see a deer. They walk through the marshes and even come upon some construction workers that claim they scared off some deer. As they continue their walk they come upon many of nature's creatures, rabbits, squirrels and they were surprised to have flushed out a pheasant. Then it began to thunder and a short rain shower soaked them then was quickly over. Finally they when they were about to turn around and head back home father and son spot her. In the peace after the rain the deer appears. The day was a success and complete!

What a wonderful way to spend the day! The author writes an endearing story of time spent between father and son sharing a memory that will last a lifetime. The illustrations are beautiful, they are like walking through an art gallery within the pages of this book.

I am sure there are many adults that remember a special time spent with their own parent or maybe this will inspire them to spend a special outing with their own child or grandchild and make a special memory that will last forever.

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book 5 out of 5.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Candlewick Press for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. This review is my honest opinion.

Giveaway hardcover copy 5/2 - 5/10
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[Kristin]

The Deer Watch is reminiscent of Owl Moon. Filled with oil painting illustrations, the book follows a boy and his father as they go out on a walk in search of deer. While the illustrations are pretty, they don't add much to the story. The text appears to be written as a free verse poem, but did not have the rhythm that one would expect. If you like stories about a parent and child bonding over a shared experience, then you might enjoy this story.

[Jess]

This book brought a sense of calm as all things of nature do for me. It was wonderful and the painted illustrations gorgeous. If you want to share nature with children at bedtime this is the book. Beautiful.

[Beverly]

This story was a bit disappointing as most of it was the hunting for a glimpse of deer, and only one double-page spread of the actual sighting of the deer. Lovely oil paintings, though.

[A Allen]

The main character in the story is told by his dad that he is old enough to see a buck or doe. The pair head out in the early morning and the little boy must practice patience, calmness, and quietness. This book requires a great deal of patience from the readers as well, but the pair do see a deer in the end.

[Benjamin Elliott]

Lovely painted illustrations. The texture is nice, and the muted tones imbue a sense if calm. I also like how so many other animals are featured as well.

The premise is a little funny though when you live places where deer come into town, and people treat them as pests.

[Jeanine]

The illustrations are paintings that you can see the brushstrokes! Beautiful colour palette. However the muted tones and slow story would only be good for when the kids are already low energy, not to bring them there. Longer text means might be better for a middle to older aged child.

[Chrisanne]

The text distracted from the lovely illustrations.

[Katie]

The illustrations in this book are gorgeous!

[sweet orange books]

Read and rated: 2018-12-01

[Maryann Skaritka]

This is a beautifully illustrated picture book for younger children.

This story is about how a father promises his son that they will see a deer.

Their journey starts early in the morning. They encounter a day filled with adventure. They trek through beach, woodland and conservation land.

Along the way they encounter other animals both with sight and sound observations.

The father and son bond all throughout their adventure in their quest to find a deer.

Patience finally pays off and the boys wish is fulfilled and he has wonderful memories of his special experience with his dad.

There are also references to wildlife and land conservation in the book.

A very enjoyable story for young children and animal and nature lovers.

[Barbara]

A father and his son spend the together looking for a deer. They travel by new housing developments and into lands that have been conserved, but there is no deer. The boy becomes restless and makes noises even while trying to remain patient. His efforts are rewarded as the two finally see a doe and her two fawns, an experience he won't forget, partly because of the time he spent with his father and partly because of the amazing sight of deer. This is a great lesson in patience. The oil on linen illustrations and the text hearken back to a time when humans felt connected to the natural world even while civilization continues to encroach on the habitat of wildlife. It reminded me of times spent walking in the woods with my own father.

[Peacegal]

This is a sweet father-son nature walk story that could be used to present alternate ways of enjoying the outdoors with family members besides hunting. A young boy explores his coastal environment and its variety of plants and animals, hoping to see a deer. At the end of the story, he is stunned to see a doe and her two fawns appear from the forest.

The Deer Watch demonstrates that joy, knowledge, and family bonding can be taken away from the woods without killing.

Veg*n families may want to be aware that there is a reference to hunters having put out "deer corn," and parents may be asked to explain this.

[Linda]

This book is reminiscent of Jane Yolen’s Owl Moon, but this time it’s daytime in woods by the ocean, and a father takes his young son for a walk along the beach, and into the woods to look for deer. The boy worries that outside noises might scare away the deer, but the father reassures that it will be okay. The illustrations are paintings, beautifully filling up the page with additional details. We see the boy balancing on a fallen log, the father steadying him, and other sweet moments between father and son. The story captures a memory worth keeping.

[Marilyn Olson]

After arriving at their summer home, a boy and his father go on a much anticipated walk to see the wildlife, in particular, deer. They see many animals and birds, but no deer until after a rainstorm, a family of three deers appear. The texture of the paint and the pastel
colors of the oil paintings add greatly to the read and appreciation of the mood and the relationship of the father and son. This quiet story has much to offer

[Amanda B]

This would be a good read-aloud for older children (5+ or a small group of attentive 4-year-olds). Builds a lovely amount of tension for such a quiet story. The illustrations are perfectly representative and fuzzy around the edges at the same time, enhancing the aura of magic mixing with reality evoked in the story.

[Tracie]

Hoping to finally see a deer, a father and son wait patiently in the dunes, the marsh, and the woods.

Poetic text builds suspense through the boy's struggles to be quiet and patient, while also gently describing how human activity has altered the natural landscape over time. Richly textured illustrations rendered in a muted palette of oil paint complement the story's peaceful undertones.

[KJ]

Lovely picture book that reminded me of nature walks my family used to take when my children were young and our house backed up to a state park in Michigan. My boys used to wear yellow jackets and my husband wears a blue ball cap to this day. I am buying two copies - one for my personal picture book collection and one to cut apart and hang on my family room wall. Gorgeous paintings.

[Christine]

Father and son journey together to try and see a deer. Beautiful oil illustrations accompany the text and remind us all of the peaceful and patient disposition needed when observing animals in their natural habitats.

[Christine Brodien-Jones]

A very special book: the warm, heartfelt tale of a boy and his father, together in the woods, combined with gorgeous illustrations. I can't wait to give this to my granddaughters! Five stars - a wonderful read.

[Edward Sullivan]

Lovely father & son nature story.

[Tracie]

Lovely story of a young boy and his father looking for a deer. Many Ohio animals.

[Kelsey]

Age: Kindergarten-2nd grade
Family: Dad

[Linda Atkinson]

What a beautiful story, beautifully illustrated.

[Kristen]

This is a great example of a "small moment" story for writing class.

[De]

The illustrations are beautiful oils. A charming story.

[Brindi Michele]

The story line was okay, but I was definitely captivated by the beautiful illustrations.

[Jodie]

Sweet story about a boy and his dad going for a walk searching for deer. They spot other animals along the way. The pictures are beautifully done.

[Bethe]

Slow moving story of a father and son looking for deer during a walk in the neighborhood woods. May be a good choice for Father's Day.