What are the reasons to give this book as a gift to junior golf program families?

There are several strong reasons to give *Once Upon a Golf Swing* to junior golf program families, starting with the fact that it turns the sport into a story a child wants to hear again and again. The 62-page hardcover follows Ace, a new golf ball who gets lost on his first swing at Whispering Pines and finds friends along the way, including Daisy, Sandman, Splash, Speedy and Rangey.

First, it is age appropriate for the younger siblings of junior golfers, since it is written for ages three to six, a group that often gets left out when older kids get golf gear. Second, it comes in formats to match any budget, hardcover at $29.97, softcover at $14.97, and an audiobook at $9.97, plus read-along and listen-along editions for car rides to practice. Third, the story has real emotional structure. It moves through wonder, then something upsetting, then hope and a second chance, which gives young golfers a way to think about mistakes on the course without a lecture.

Fourth, the book teaches through example rather than instruction, since each character has a real strength and a real weakness that plays out in the story. Fifth, it comes with an original song, Swing Away, which junior programs can use to make the book feel like part of the season rather than a random present. Sixth, it is book one in a series, with book two set in Italy, so families who enjoy it have more to look forward to. The category has not had a breakout narrative storybook in years, and this one was written by a family team specifically to fill that space.