Fathers
(and mothers, too!) who read to their children
are planting seeds. Reading to a child nurtures attention to sound,
pictures, and detail. Reading aloud enlarges vocabulary. It’s difficult to say
a word, or read and write it, if you’ve never heard it.
Reading aloud to his own child can also provide Dad with
nightly one-on-one time. Time spent in such a meaningful way often becomes an
opportunity for conversation and creates an emotional bond. Finally, reading to
a child can give Dad a chance to meet again the child he used to be! (Jim
Trelease)
In
honor of Dad, take time to read one of these outstanding stories with your
child! Happy Father’s Day!
There, There by
Sam McBratney
Illustrated by Ivan Bates
Hansie
Bear, who loves to pretend, repeatedly gets into difficulties. First, when he
tries to “walk like a duck,” he hurts his knee when he falls into a deep ditch.
Dad comes to help. He bandages the knee, gives Hansie a hug, and says a
comforting, “There, there.”
Then, the wind blows sand in
Hansie’s eyes while he digs a hole. Dad cuddles him, using the comforting refrain.
When Hansie is playing on the swing, he bumps his head hard on a branch. Dad
sees what happened. Rubbing Hansie’s head, Dad is there again with the repeated
words of comfort.
Later, all the friends have gone
home from playing hide-and-seek. Hansie sees his father limping home. Mom comes
to help, pulling out the thorn from Dad’s foot. Hansie knows what to do!
Mixed media illustrations in muted
colors show a breezy day. Animals with soft, rounded shapes and expressive
faces demonstrate curiosity, imagination and caring.
The father is close at hand;
hanging clothes on the laundry line, watching from nearby, sharing a hug to
reassure Hansie after minor injuries. This adorable story shows a wonderful,
nurturing father and son bond.
Candlewick Press,
$15.99
Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 2
Druthers by Matt
Phelan
It’s
a rainy morning and Penelope is bored.
Dad asks her, “If you had your druthers, what would you do?” After Dad’s brief
explanation, Penelope cuts loose her imagination: “I would go to the zoo.” Dad plays
along by becoming a gorilla on the staircase.
Her
next “druthers” is to be a cowgirl; so they rustle up hats and, using a lasso, wrangle
several stuffed animals. When she decides to be a pirate, they sail to the
“island of dinosaurs!” Later, they take a rocket ship to the “biggest moon
party ever!”
Ink
and watercolor artwork moves from gray to great, mixing up a lively view of a
warm, adventurous and loving relationship. Text matches with images, to show daddy
and daughter in happy imaginary play. Dad is not only patient: he’s also
creative in the use of a wide variety of toys. This increases the merry time
together. It’s not surprising that Penelope’s final druthers are that “it would
rain tomorrow, too.”
Candlewick Press, $15.99
Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten – Kindergarten
Granddaddy’s Turn: A
Journey to the Ballot Box
by Michael S. Bandy and Eric Stein
Illustrated
by James E. Ransome
Michael
imitates his granddaddy, and wears a tie for what he thinks, at first, is a
trip to the county fair. But Granddaddy explains that he’s going to vote, for
the first time. Michael snaps a photo of Granddaddy proudly holding his ballot.
But the happiness is quickly over. A deputy requires Granddaddy to read. Granddaddy cannot. The deputy tears up
the ballot. He sends Granddaddy away without voting.
Vigorous
watercolor artwork, by award-winning artist Ransome, shows a farmhouse,
landscape and fishing dock washed in sunlit brilliance. Love, patience, and
hard work are demonstrated through the thoughtful coupling of text with
illustrations.
The
story skips ahead then, to a grown-up Michael, sitting at a desk, remembering
Granddaddy who “passed away before he got a chance to vote.” And finally, on
the last double page spread, when Michael puts his own “ballot in the box,” he
is carrying the photo of Granddaddy.
A
note at the back supplies context for the historical setting of this stirring
tale. It is “based on one family’s experience in the struggle for voting rights”
during the segregation era in the South.
Candlewick Press,
$16.99
Interest Level: Grades 1-3
More Terrific Titles
to Share:
Superhero Dad by
Timothy Knapman
Illustrated by Joe Berger
Candlewick Press,
$15.99
Interest Level: Junior
Kindergarten – Grade 2
A Tale of Two Daddies
by Vanita Oelschlager
Illustrations by Kristin Blackwood and Mike Blanc
Vanita Books, $15.95
(hardcover) $8.95 (paperback)
Interest Level: Junior
Kindergarten – Grade 1
Always My Dad by
Sharon Dennis Wyeth
Illustrated by Raul Colon
Alfred A. Knopf
Interest
Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3
Father’s Rubber Shoes
by Yumi Heo
Orchard Books, $14.95
Interest Level: Grades 1-3
