GRACIE GOES GOLFING

A young golfer shows that old, well-loved clubs may be the best of all in this rhyming story.

When Gracie Alice Stubbs receives her dad’s hand-me-down kid-sized golf clubs, she’s excited to try his old clubs out. At the course, though, all the other kids have brand-new Megaflight clubs. Gracie’s suddenly too intimidated to show her skills until a hug and pep talk from her dad cheer her up. He gives her words of wisdom: “My old clubs are broken-in, they’ve been handled with care. / They’re full of love for the game, it’s a love that we share.” With newfound confidence, Gracie makes her play, and the other kids are so impressed with her golf game that they want to get clubs like hers. Doan’s sweet, full-color cartoon illustrations depict a diverse group of child golfers with different skin tones; Gracie’s is light brown. Doan effectively keeps the background details light, directing attention to Gracie’s hard work and enthusiasm; the people, and specifically the relationship between dad and daughter, are the focus on every page. Gimba’s simple rhyming text flows well, overall, with occasional clunky scansion. A few golf vocabulary words (backswing, putts, pivot) may help independent readers stretch their skills.

A sure hit for young golfers or any child who shares a love of sport with a special grown-up.