What is Jake Whyte Pig Hunter about?
Jake Whyte is in Year 10 (NZ), and is keen to put meat on the table at home. He teaches himself hunting techniques, while avoiding a guy at school who taunts him with the nickname Great White Hunter. Without planning it, he is soon on hunts with his nemesis and his family members. Jake also has a crush on his bully’s sister which makes things even more awkward.
But hunting together and finding themselves in danger, helps them to confront their differences.
Plot summary of Jake Whyte Pig Hunter (No Spoilers)
Jake is hungry. Meat is scarce in their home where his mum works three jobs to look after them and pay for Jake’s sister’s care in a school in Dunedin (NZ).
After Jake brings home an injured piglet one day, and it doesn’t make it, he realises he can help his mum put meat on the table. Studying books and Bear Grylls shows, Jake learns how to hunt without a gun. There is a guy in his year 10 class named Bevan, who he knows goes hunting regularly with his dad and guns, but Jake knows his own mother would never allow it.
But after bringing home meat for the table and freezer, Jake’s mum agrees to let him go on a supervised hunt. Sure, Jake finds it a little awkward going with Bevan who has taunted him for years about his name, but Jake doesn’t want to pass on Bevan’s dad’s invite to hunt properly with real pig dogs and guns. It also helps that Bevan’s sister Georgie is along for the hunt, as Jake has a crush on her.
Hunt after hunt, Jake builds his skills, but the tension between he and Bevan builds until it overflows into danger. Alone and with only each other to rely on, they finally face off and sort out some misunderstandings.
All the while, Jake has been hiding the fact that he has a disabled sister. He’s worried what the backlash will be after being taunted by Bevan and his friends for years. When everything is finally out in the open and they are faced with a huge boar they’ve all been hunting for weeks, they must work together to survive.
Review
There are never enough hunting books on the shelves, and Jake Whyte Pig Hunter is a cracker!
With its fast pacing, short, punchy chapters and dialogue full of Kiwi lingo, this novel ticks so many boxes for so many different kinds of readers. It suits reading ages of Year 6 to Year 11, reluctant readers, lovers of action, or adventure and with Kiwi characters they can relate to.
Each chapter begins with a sketch by Cat Chapman, portraying the action or an item important to the chapter. It’s not just about hunting, either. Main character Jake has feelings for his nemesis’ sister, and he’s also hiding a secret, he knows he shouldn’t. These emotional developments are handled deftly and authentically, adding to the narrative.
Anyone who has ever wanted to hunt wild pig in the New Zealand bush can experience what it is truly like in this novel for 11+
Book Style
147 Pages / 40 short chapters / Each new chapter begins with a new illustration
FAQ’s
What age is it for?
11+
Where & When is it set?
Milford in Fiordland / Sth Island, Aotearoa New Zealand
What is the Point of View / Tense of the novel?
First person – direct to the reader / Present Tense
Is there Violence?
Hunting violence
What genre is Jake Whyte Pig Hunter?
High Middle-Grade Action
Themes
Hunting / Action / Family / Relationships
Is it part of a series?
No
Author
J D Crouchley
Illustrator
Cat Chapman
Publisher
Bateman Books
(2026, Bateman Books, Aotearoa New Zealand, Intermediate (NZ), NZ Authors, NZ Illustrator, Hunting, Fiordland, Milford, Tramping, Pigs, Deer, Fishing, Trout, Courage, Solo parent family, Disabled family member, Crush, Relationships, Action, Adventure, Family, Bully, Rivalry)