If you’re looking for a Christmas gift idea for your kids or grandkids, something that shares your love of the outdoors, hunting, and adventure, you can’t go past the Me and Dad series of children’s books.
I stumbled across these little gems while in Christchurch recently taking in the sights and soaking up the local culture at Gun City (my favourite city!). A quick flick through one was all it took; I bought three books for my grandson on the spot.
These books are part of the Me and Dad collection, written and illustrated for young readers with an interest in the outdoors, hunting, fishing, and family time in nature. The stories are wholesome, New Zealand-flavoured, and beautifully illustrated…perfect for sparking curiosity and pride in ethical, family-based outdoor traditions.
Author Peter Hills had always wanted to write children’s books and one day just sat in front of the computer and started typing. Mums and Dads were used in the book to give kids stories about their heroes and Hills said there is no better hero for a kid than their parents.
The reading level suits children aged roughly 5 to 10 years old — early readers through to those who enjoy having a story read aloud with Mum, Dad or Gramps. Each title in the series captures different outdoor adventures such as deer hunting, duck shooting, and other classic Kiwi (and Aussie!) pastimes, always with an emphasis on safety, respect for wildlife, and the joy of spending time with Dad (or Mum) in the bush.
At around NZD $14 per book, they’re excellent value and make thoughtful stocking fillers or birthday gifts. You can order them directly online at https://meanddadkidsbooks.co.nz/buy-the-books/
For those of us who grew up learning bushcraft and hunting from our parents or grandparents, these books are a brilliant way to pass that spirit on in a way that’s fun, age-appropriate, and grounded in the real outdoors.
If you want to plant the seed of the great adventure that is deer hunting in your kids or your grandkids, this is the perfect way to start.
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