Let’s get ready for Father’s Day
with a few of the new books available to show our love. What we do with and for our daddys is
often a mirror of Dad’s actions with his children. As we create memories for the future, we want also to honor
the best in the past, holding a special place in our hearts for times we
treasure with Dad.
When Dads Don’t Grow Up
by Marjorie Blain Parker
illustrated by R.
W. Alley
Dial, $16.99, Ages 4-6
Kids
are lucky who have dads like the ones in this list book -- these dads know how
much fun it is to pop bubble wrap and watch cartoons. And they don’t worry about looking silly -- see the dunk
tank picture -- or wearing mismatched clothes. While not actually a story, the engaging text nevertheless,
leads readers into an ode to fathers; especially papas who take every
opportunity to be with their offspring in sometimes silly, but always loving,
circumstances.
Featured
in the paintings, several dads reappear throughout the book in an assortment of
adventures. Although the book is
charming and does not suffer in quality from the lack, it is disappointing to
note that all but one of the dad/kid combinations are light skinned. The text itself clearly allows for a
range of cultural representations, and more cultural variety would have both
enriched the reader’s experience, and extended the potential audience.
Humorous,
energetic language is companioned by laugh-out-loud illustrations, lending a
comic quality to the paintings done with pen and ink, watercolor and colored pencil. And the font makes for easy reading,
changing at times from large to smaller, italic and even giant size, for
emphasis. This is a great lap-book
and makes a strong bid for repetitive readings without boredom.
Big Hugs, Little Hugs
by Felicia Bond
Philomel, $16.99, Ages 2-4
Well-loved
author/illustrator Bond, best known for her series of books beginning with If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, has extended
her artistic reach in these appealing illustrations. Making strategic use of colorful handmade paper enhanced by
pen and ink line drawings, Bond shows a range of hugs.
Beginning
with “Everyone hugs all over the world,” Bond samples animals, both known and less
familiar – cats, dogs and bears – also dinosaurs, bats and penguins – and moves
from naming hugging animals to naming and showing animals in paired opposite
settings – upstairs/downstairs, inside/outside, day/night in another successful
list book.
The
conclusion circles back around to repeat the beginning phrase; this time
illustrated by an earth, surrounded by groups of hugging animals in a picture
book that goes well beyond Father’s Day to include the entire planet in a
sphere of loving hugs. Perfect for
bedtime.
The Night Before Father’s Day
by Natasha Wing
illustrated by Amy Wummer
Grosset & Dunlap, $3.99, Ages 3-5
Using
the Christmas poem by Clement Moore as her guide, author Wing has written a
clever take off for Father’s Day in this newest book from her series based on
the Night Before. While Dad goes for a bike ride, the kids
and Mom clean out the garage and wash the car, as part of a gift that includes a
homemade card and breakfast in bed the next morning.
Artist
Wummer has chosen cheery primary colors for her animated watercolor wash and
colored pencil illustrations. The
active paintings show family members busy at work, making order from chaos and
dirt.
Dad
is appropriately pleased and surprised, laughing at the card details, and
inviting everyone for a Sunday ride in the newly clean car as a conclusion to a
Happy Father’s Day.
