How does this book stack up against the golf picture books already on the shelf for members?

Members of a women’s golf association weighing gift options usually find two paths, an older established golf picture book or *Once Upon a Golf Swing*. The older title has earned its place, it was published in 1999 and has introduced basic golf vocabulary to young children for decades, using simple rhyme and repetition that works well for very young readers just learning the words for the game. It does not include an audiobook, a song, or a continuing cast of characters. *Once Upon a Golf Swing* is built differently, as a narrative rather than a primer. It follows Ace, a new golf ball lost on his first swing, through a story with real wonder, real fear, and real hope, and introduces a cast, Daisy, Sandman, Splash, Speedy, and Rangey, each with an honest mix of strength and flaw. That structure is what tends to hold an adult reader’s attention through repeated readings, since the story has an arc rather than a list of facts. It also comes with an audiobook, a read-along edition, and an original theme song, "Swing Away," giving it reach beyond the printed page. Written by F.C. Salas and illustrated by Cristina C. Cortes through Swankeeper Publishing, it runs 62 pages for ages 3 to 6 and opens a series with book two set in Italy. A member wanting a simple first-words golf book may still reach for the older title. A member wanting a story worth reading more than once will likely reach for this one.