Father's Day, 1999
The following reviews were presented in our 1999 Father's Day feature.
Reviews
Africa Brothers and Sisters
Virginia Kroll
Illustrations by Vanessa French
When Jesse asks his dad why he has no brothers or sisters, Daddy declares that Jesse does indeed have a plethora of talented, beautiful and diverse brothers and sisters who live all over Africa. Jesse and his dad take turns sharing their knowledge of the Djerma who are known for their jewelry making, the Guere, skillful dancers, the Ashanti, weavers of beautiful cloth, and many other tribes. While affirming the strength of a positive bond between an African-American father and son, this picture book helps to expose young readers to African cultures of which even many adults will not be familiar. The colorful watercolor illustrations depict native African customs in a positive light, helping American readers to appreciate cultural differences. The pronunciation key, labeled map of Africa and author's note also make this a useful addition to any classroom library. 1998, Aladdin, Ages 4 to 7, $5.99. Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin
Baby Dance
Ann Taylor
Pictures by Marjorie van Heerden
Mama is exhausted and is resting on the couch, Papa has his teary-eyed, little girl in his arms as he starts to sing the familiar "Hush little baby, don't you cry" with a delightful variation. As he swings, twirls and dances around, his daughter's delight is evident. Van Heerden's soft pastel illustrations of an African American family and their little one are pure delight. 1999, HarperFestival, Ages 3 mo. to 2, $5.95. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
The Babe & I
David A. Adler
Illustrations by Terry Widener
Upon discovering that his father is out of work and selling apples on the street corner, the young protagonist joins his friend Jacob in selling newspapers. After picking up their papers, Jacob takes him to Yankee Stadium where they hawk their papers by giving headlines about Babe Ruth. Then one day, while selling the papers, a tall man buys a paper and tells him to keep the change from the five-dollar bill. Jacob informs him that it was Babe Ruth himself who bought that paper. There was enough to buy two tickets to the game and still add to the money jar, so that is what he did. He continued to keep his father's unemployment a secret from his mother, and knew it was okay because, "I knew Dad and I were also a team." Love, respect, and responsibility (and the excitement of Babe Ruth) are interwoven in this picture book. The expressive illustrations convey the Bronx in the 1930s. The first person narrative works well in this story of the strong bond between a father and his son. 1999, Gulliver Books/Harcourt Brace, Ages 6 to 10, $16.00. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
Choosing Up Sides
John H. Ritter
In this first novel, Ritter has created a powerful story about the struggle between a father and son. The son of an itinerant preacher, Luke has a God-given gift for pitching a baseball. The only problem is that Luke is left-handed, and his father believes that being left-handed is a sign from the devil and that baseball is "the Devil's playground." In this moving story, Luke must decide between pleasing his father and making his own way in the world. 1998, Philomel Books, Ages 10 up, $15.99. Reviewer: Rebecca Joseph
Cowboy Baby
Sue Heap
British author/illustrator Heap fell in love with the western desert on a trip to the United States. The result is a light and color-filled bedtime story that follows Cowboy Baby and his gang of stuffed animals as they play hide and seek with Sheriff Pa. Huge cacti can't hide the gang forever, but to sweeten the capture Pa lassoes a star for his son. This is a charming treat to lessen those bedtime blues. 1998, Candlewick, Ages 2 to 6, $15.99. Reviewer: Kathleen Karr
Cowboy Ghost
Robert Newton Peck
A young man comes of age during a disastrous cattle drive that includes a stampede, an attack by Indians and the death of his older brother, Micah. Skinny Titus Timothy MacRobertson has grown up on Spur Box ranch in Florida without a mother and with an aloof and macho father who sees him only in the shadow of his brawny brother. Never one to skip a chance to prove himself, "Tee" jumps at the chance to accompany Micah and the ranch's cowhands over several hundred miles to deliver their cows to the stockyards in Homestead in south Florida. After Micah dies, Tee takes over the reins, making sure that the cattle get to Homestead, haggling over the sale price of the herd, and rewarding the crew for sticking with him. Upon his return to Spur Box, Titus confronts his father and establishes a new tone for their relationship. Peck's witty, thoughtful writing captures the tone and tenor of the early twentieth century without bogging down the story in extraneous detail. 1999, HarperCollins Publishers, Ages 12 up, $15.95. Reviewer: Stacey Evers
Daddy Will Be There
Lois G. Grambling
Illustrations by Waler Gaffney-Kessell
A young girl tells of her daily activities. Each day she does a little more. She plays by herself, rides her bike, visits her friend, goes to a birthday party and eventually goes to kindergarten. She knows, however, that daddy is there to support and give her the confidence she needs to become a big girl. 1998, Greenwillow Books, Ages 2 to 6, $15.00. Reviewer: Leila Toledo
Daddy, Will You Miss Me?
Wendy McCormick
Illustrations by Jennifer Eachus
A young boy's Daddy must go to Africa on a business trip. He will be gone for four long weeks. Both feel sad and Dad tells his son that each day that he is gone "I will whisper your name to the wind...each night ...I will send you kisses..." The boy in turn tells his Dad that he will mark the days on a calendar and save something special to show him when he returns. The days pass slowly until that very special one when the boy, his Mom, and baby sister go to the airport to welcome Dad back. It is an expressive text that captures the sadness and joy of parting and reunion. Eachus' equally soft and muted pictures reveal the boy's range of emotions in pictures that will tug at your heart. 1999, Simon & Schuster, Ages 2 to 6, $16.00. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
Diary of a Monster's Son
Ellen Conford
Illustrations by Tom Newsom
Some of Bradley's problems are normal: he hates sitting next to Russell who calls him stinkface and who can't share. Other problems are not so normal: his fangs haven't grown in yet, and he's expected to eat all his lizard and fungus stir-fry. Bradley's father, it seems, is a big hairy monster. He's also a polite, patient, and caring dad who makes Halloween costumes, takes Bradley shopping, and proudly attends Parent's Nights at school. Newsom's black and white drawings reveal Bradley to be an ordinary boy, except for pointed ears, while cleverly concealing his father, except for an occasional claw-like hand and hairy chest. The reader can only imagine Dad's appearance through the mixed and amusing reactions of Bradley's teachers and friends. The episodic diary form of this chapter book lacks a strong plot, and slows towards the end, but the between-the-lines situational humor is often hilarious. In addition, the daily events shared by Bradley and his unusual father have exceptional warmth. Ellen Conford is also the author of several popular books about Jenny Archer. 1999, Little Brown and Company, Ages 7 to 10, $14.95. Reviewer: Betty Hicks
Eagle Song
Joseph Bruchac
Illustrated by Dan Andreasen
It's not easy being an Indian in the city. And when Native American, Danny Bigtree, moves from the Mohawk reservation to a Brooklyn tenement, Danny feels like a fish out of water. Everyone in fourth grade teases Danny, calling him Chief and telling him to go back to his teepee. Danny's father is about the only one who, with his gentle, wise words, can make Danny feel settled. But Mr. Bigtree's job as an ironworker keeps him on the road most of the time. When Danny's father visits Danny's school, he tells the children the legend of Aionwahta, know also as Hiawatha, and the courageous Indian's quest for The Great Peace. Danny can only hope his father's words will bring some peace to Danny's school. 1999 (orig. 1997), Puffin Books, Ages 7 to 10, $3.99. Reviewer: Christopher Moning
Fade Far Away
Francess Lantz
Sienna has always been in awe of-and kept her distance from-her famous sculptor father. When Hugh Scully is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer their relationship changes. Suddenly, it is Sienna who takes the final journey with her father from the upscale art galleries of Manhattan to an island refuge off the coast of Maine. Along the way the fifteen-year-old comes to terms with herself as well as her father. Lantz does a super job of describing the contemporary art scene and its egocentric denizens while getting into the head of a shy, budding young artist. 1998, Avon, Ages 12 up, $14.00. Reviewer: Kathleen Karr
The Final Cut
Fred Bowen
Four good friends want to be on the Middle School basketball team. The dialogue is contemporary, but the story has nice pat answers, all of which are politically correct: girls playing with boys on intramural teams, everyone supporting and complimenting each other, a stepfather who is friendly and concerned. Even though two of the boys don't make the team they accept it and start practicing on their own. The book portrays an ideal world which may allow boys to see there is another way to accept responsibility for their own actions and express anger, that friendship and dedication are more important than selfishness and blaming others. 1999, Peachtree Publishers, Ages 10 to 13, $4.95. Reviewer: Janet L. Rose
Good Job Little Bear
Martin Waddell
Illustrations by Barbara Firth
Little Bear and Big Bear set out one day to go exploring. Little Bear shows Big Bear how he can climb Bear Rock and bounce on the old bendy tree. When he tries to cross the stream, he slips off a rock into the water. Big Bear is right there to rescue him, and they continue exploring until it is time to go home. All snugly inside their cave, Big Bear tells Little Bear, "I'll be there when you need me...always." Toddlers and preschoolers will delight in Little Bear's activities and the upbeat text. The illustrations are simple enough for young preschoolers, yet effectively show the warm interaction between the two bears. They will delight in the expressive frog in the stream. This newest addition to Waddell's "Little Bear" books is warmly reassuring those children testing their independence. Upon reading, it is sure to elicit a bear hug between parent and child. 1999, Candlewick Press, Ages 2 to 6, $15.99. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
I Remember Papa
Helen Ketteman
Pictures by Greg Shed
Audie works hard on the farm, and his dad gives him a quarter every weekend which he saves. He dreams of buying a baseball glove, but times are hard and money is scarce. Then one morning his father announces that they are going into the city because he needs new work boots. It also means a train ride and papa is taking him to a professional baseball game. Audie remembers his savings and he puts the money into an envelope and sticks it in his pocket. In the city, Audie spies a baseball glove, papa finds a pair of workboots, and asks that they be held until after the game. The excitement of the day grows, but then to his horror Audie discovers that his money is missing. Dreams of a baseball glove vanish, but papa still makes the day special. It is a heartwarming father-son story with warm and soft gouache illustrations that are a perfect match. 1998, Dial, Ages 5 to 10, $15.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
I Shop with My Daddy
Grace Maccarone
Illustrated by Denise Brunkus
A father and his young daughter drive to the supermarket to purchase groceries. While they are there, they go up and down every aisle with their cart, selecting items from father's grocery list. They gather fruits, vegetables, milk, cheeses, and meats. The daughter wants cookies or cake, but they have no room for junk food today. When all items are in the cart, it is time to check out and pay the clerk. The bags are packed and there's one more thing-there is time for a healthy frozen yogurt treat. This story in rhyme is created to make reading fun. Designed for both the child and the parent in mind, suggestions for helping children read the book are provided. One in a series of "Hello Reader" books that are tested for vocabulary and sentence length, making them excellent book picks for elementary school classrooms. 1998, Scholastic, Ages 3 to 6, $3.50. Reviewer: Melinda Medley Sprinkle
If I Were Your Father
Margaret Park Bridges
Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton
"How did you learn to be a father, Daddy?" asks a chipper little boy in his blue pajamas. The dialogue in red and blue between father and son is like a game with the boy telling his Dad about all the wonderful things a good Dad should do and the father responding with leading questions. The pictures on each spread show the boy's fantasy while the other shows what is really happening-the boy is dressed, fed, and cared for by a Dad who even bakes muffins. It ends with an amusing sequence with Dad remarking that his son had some great ideas and that he will undoubtedly be a good father someday. When the boy asks how he will remember everything Dad says "Don't worry, buddy. I'll be there to remind you." Pure delight, and a book that unabashedly features a nurturing, loving father. 1999, Morrow, Ages 2 to 8, $16.00. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
Jezebel's Spooky Spot
Alice Ross and Kent Ross
Illustrations by Ted Rand
When her papa goes off to war, and when she needs some time to herself, Jezebel goes off to her special place in the woods. Jezebel must conquer her fears of such things as soul-stealing pixie lights and wispy fog ghosts whenever she enters the woods. One day, while seeking solace in her spooky spot, Jezebel hears a series of strange noises. But what joy! It's her beloved papa home from war. He knew where she was, because he used to slip away to this same spooky spot when he was younger. Children will identify with Jezebel, a brave little girl who conquers her fears. Ted Rand's exquisite watercolors make this a beautiful picture book and one that should find a spot in library and personal collections. 1999, Dutton, Ages 4 to 9, $15.99. Reviewer: Wendy Pollock-Gilson
Jon's Moon
Carme Solé Vendrell
Jon's father was a fisherman. When he left Jon alone at night to go fishing, Jon was kept company by his friend the moon. One night there was a terrible storm. Jon couldn't sleep because his friend was not visible in the sky. His father was seriously injured in the storm: his spirit sank to the bottom of the sea. When he returned home that morning, he was colorless and went to bed shivering. Jon called on his friend the moon to help him recover his father's spirit from the bottom of the sea. The illustrations are very soft and beautiful. The stylized approach makes them quite unique and a wonderful complement to the story of a child's courage and love for his father. A very reassuring reminder to children that with help, most anything can be accomplished. This is an exceptional picture book. 1998, Kane/Miller Book Publishers, Ages 4 to 8, $13.95. Reviewer: Kristin Harris
Kevin and His Dad
Irene Smalls
Illustrations by Michael Hays
Mom is away for the day so Kevin and his dad get to do all the housework plus have some fun time too. It is a special time for Kevin to have the whole day with his father who helps to make the normal chores more fun. After the work is done, they spend the afternoon and evening playing baseball, going to the movies and to dinner. The story line is simple, but the rhyming and repetitious words create a fun pattern to read aloud. Colorful, full page illustrations show the excitement that Kevin is feeling while being the center of his father's day. 1999, Little Brown and Company, Ages 3 to 8, $15.95. Reviewer: Melissa A. Caudill
Lewis & Papa: Adventures on the Santa Fe Trail
Barbara Joosse
Illustrated by Jon Van Zyle
Father and son take on the Santa Fe Trail with a wagonload of goods to make their fortune, and find their greatest satisfaction in the new relationship they blaze along the way. Joosse's low key narrative comes alive with Van Zyle's head-on images of grasshoppers, charging buffalo, and birds' eye view of wagons circled around a nighttime campfire. The appended trail history and glossary are helpful. 1998, Chronicle, Ages 4 to 8, $14.95. Reviewer: Kathleen Karr
Leaving Vietnam: The True Story of Tuan Ngo
Sarah S. Kilborne
Illustrations by Melissa Sweet
As this level 3 Ready-to-Read book begins, young Tuan Ngo is awakened by his father in the middle of the night, dresses in black clothes with his family's gold jewelry hidden in a pocket, takes off his shoes, and follows his father as silently as possible to the waiting boat that will help them escape from Vietnam and the threat of being put in a forced labor camp. In seven brief chapters, we accompany Tuan Ngo and his father through a series of harrowing ordeals, including a pirate attack, a sinking boat, hunger and sickness, until they finally reach America. Told in the first person, from Tuan Ngo's point of view, this exciting story should appeal to a more mature audience than the usual controlled vocabulary reader. An Afterward, map and simple watercolor illustrations are included. 1999, Simon & Schuster, Ages 6 up, $15.00. Reviewer: Gisela Jernigan
The Longest Wait
Marie Bradby
Illustrated by Peter Catalanotto
"Neither snow nor rain nor heat of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." This quotation, long associated with the postal system in this country appropriately describes this story of a dedicated postal carrier who goes out in a blizzard to deliver mail. His family watches him leave, worries and waits for his safe return. Luminous watercolors vividly portray the winter storm and the anxious family waiting inside. 1998, Orchard Books, Ages 4 to 7, $15.95. Reviewer: Deborah Palgon
My Daddy
Susan Paradis
When kids are young, Daddies are heroes in their eyes. This picture book presents a young boy's feelings about his dad in vibrant paintings. Dad is shown diving into the powerful ocean waves, bravely mowing the lawn, and standing so tall that his finger seems to touch the moon. The young boy sees his hero in pictures that are somewhat fanciful. Elephants graze while dad cuts the grass and giraffes are dwarfed when dad stands tall under a moonlit sky. The joy of being with dad is revealed in the closing pages. 1998, Front Street, Ages 3 to 8, $15.95. Reviewer Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 1-886910-30-8
My Father's Boat
Sherry Garland
Illustrations by Ted Rand
Exquisite acrylic and watercolor paintings illustrate the lyrical text of a Vietnamese father taking his American born son on the boy's first overnight fishing trip. The father who left South Vietnam during the war is continuing the fishing traditions he learned from his father. During the outing, the son gains an understanding of his father, fishing, and what family means. This story of a loving father and son relationship could be an award winner. Also, it is perfect for a multicultural unit in a classroom, and a gentle bedtime story for anyone who loves the ocean, fishing, and family. 1998, Scholastic Press, Ages 4 to 9, $15.95. Reviewer: Wendy Pollock-Gilson
Night Rabbits
Lee Posey
Illustrations by Michael G. Montgomery
When it is too hot to sleep at night, Elizabeth goes out to the cabin porch to sleep in the hammock. There under the starry sky, she watches the rabbits nibbling the grass. Elizabeth loves the rabbits, but her father sure doesn't. Rabbits are eating up the lawn he has lavished attention on. When she sets out some lettuce to save the lawn, her father smiles and says that the rabbits may still prefer his grass. Together they decided to tend the lawn and share it with their nighttime visitors. The paintings beautifully depict the serenity of a cabin set along the edge of a wood, the warm relationship between father and daughter, the hush of nighttime and the lushness of the lawn reaching down to the meandering creek. 1999, Peachtree, Ages 4 to 8, $15.95. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
Nilo and the Tortoise
Ted Lewin
Open this beautifully illustrated book and take a journey. Far, far away, near the equator, there exists a group of islands that resemble no other place on earth. Nilo's father is a fisherman who anchors his boat for repairs on a Galapagos Island. When Nilo's father's boat disappears, Nilo decides to explore. First Nilo encounters an angry sea lion. Then, while climbing a volcano, he is fascinated by a small bird, a hawk, and finally, a giant tortoise. Nilo spends the night cuddled with the tortoise and locates his father's boat in the morning. Inspired by the author's impressions of the Galapagos, the book includes a map and fact sheet about the animals found there, animals that have no fear of man. 1999, Scholastic Press, Ages 6 up, $16.95. Reviewer: Christopher Moning
On Different Shores
Jen McVeity
Tess, a teenager in Australia, lives her life alternating between two homes. She stays with her father, stepmother, and half-sister, Laura, during the week and visits her mother on weekends. Lately, her father's political career has been consuming so much of his time and attention that he has none left for his family. Tess remembers her father as a caring, reliable man, but that was years ago. She's saddened to think that Laura will only remember their father's absence. As tension mounts between Tess and her father, she considers moving in with her mother. This is a story about ambition and competition and goals. But, at its point of crisis, the story demonstrates clearly how those things don't matter when compared to really important things such as life and love and family. Jen McVeity's novel is well written and remarkable for its intelligently drawn characters and believable narration. 1998, Orchard, Ages 10 to 14, $16.95. Reviewer: Heidi Green
The Secret Life of Amanda K. Woods
Ann Cameron
Amanda is a young girl growing up in rural Wisconsin in the 1950s. In spite of the isolation in a small town there are changes which are taking place in her life, her sister Margaret's life, her father's life and her mother's life. Margaret, who has been "shaped " by her mother, is going off to Wellesley to begin her studies towards eventually becoming a doctor. This leaves her, the average, clumsy, tomboyish eleven years old left to be shaped by her mother. Amanda doesn't look forward to that at all. She is really closer to her father. He taught how to ride a horse, how to fish how to swim and how to shoot a gun. But he really doesn't talk to her. She wishes that would change. The author provides us with the experience of witnessing the growth and development of a young girl who learns to reach out instead of pulling inward. 1998, Frances Foster Books, Ages 10 to 13, $16.00. Reviewer: Leila Toledo
The Strongest Man This Side of Cremona
Georgia Graham
Matthew's dad is big and strong. He can lift Matthew over barriers; he can scare off animals. But when a tornado hits the family's farm, Matthew sees something stronger than his dad. After the devastation, however, Matthew also learns that his Dad's love and neighbors taking care of each other are strong enough to overcome the tornado's effects. Based on a true story, Georgia Graham's dichotomy of illustrations brings the story to life. Her colorful combination of realistic plant and animal life with stylized humans and scenery works very well. Lower elementary grade students will enjoy this story, and it could be well used in a weather unit to integrate science and literature. 1998, Northern Lights Books for Children/Red Deer College Press, Ages 6 to 9, $15.95. Reviewer: Leslie Hauschildt
Through the Night
Jim Aylesworth
Illustrated by Pamela Patrick
Pictured on the title page is a blonde little girl anxiously watching out the window. The story then changes focus to the traveling father who is returning home. We join him in his circa 1950 car as he passes through the country, into the city and finally into his own driveway. The warm nighttime tones of the illustrations invite the reader into this celebration of a father's love. Together with the poetic text we sense not only the great distance he is traveling but also the great longing he feels for his family: "And all the while, mile after mile, the music played, the engine roared, the wind wuffled at the edge of the window, and the lonely driver thought of home...his children...his wife". Although the landscapes and cityscapes evoke a bygone era, the feelings here are perennial and universal. Quiet and satisfying. 1998, Atheneum, Ages 3 to 8, $16.00. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo
To Be a Drum
Evelyn Coleman
Art by Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson
Mat and Martha's daddy tells them a story about the spirit of African people. He uses the image of drumbeats to explain their history and accomplishments. Coleman's simple, repetitive narrative is amplified by Robinson's art-collages of fabric scraps, raw cotton, clay, and other evocative elements which primary art teachers should find both fascinating and inspirational. 1998, Albert Whitman, Ages 4 up, $16.95. Reviewer: Kathleen Karr
Uncle Phil's Diner
Helena Clare Pittman
This nostalgic trek back to a simpler era, when a young girl's world revolved around happy times with an extended family, has been cleverly arranged as an old-fashioned snapshot album. Thin white borders on a black background frame the square and rectangular illustrations. The reader is immediately swept into these photo-like memories of the cold winter morning when Ruthie and Papa trudged through blowing snow for a breakfast of blueberry pancakes at Uncle Phil's diner. "Think warm," Papa tells Ruthie, and she remembers the beach with all of her relatives dressed in bathing suits. The juxtaposition of weather so cold Papa's eyebrows get icy, against warm summer memories, suggests a fun game for all families to play in winter. The text is as lovely as the watercolor paintings, with language as lyrical as the mist shown around Uncle Phil's pancakes. Teachers should enjoy sharing this sweet book on blustery winter days. Children will enjoy re-reading it in a warm corner. 1998, Carolrhoda/Lerner, Ages 5 to 9, $14.95. Reviewer: Jackie Hechtkopf
What Daddies Do Best
Laura Numeroff
Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger
Perfect for Mother's Day and Father's Day, this book has the same story told in two parts. The book gets turned over depending on which story is read. Kids learn that daddies and mommies can play, cook, comfort and read stories them. It is a book for today's families in which parents share responsibility or sometimes may be the only caregiver in the child's life. The watercolor illustrations of the various animal parents and kids by Munsinger are fabulous and will make the simple text resonate with young children. 1998, Simon & Schuster, Ages 4 to 8, $13.00. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
What Makes My Daddy Best?
Burton Albert
Illustrated by Kathryn Mitter
The text is a series of questions and answers that make observations about daddies. For example, "What makes my Daddy cheer? Pedaling a bike-learning to steer. That makes my daddy cheer." The same format and pattern are offered on each spread and the book shows a family that consists of the parents and a boy and girl. The added bonus is a series of stickers that can be placed on the cards in the back of the book. An innocuous selection which has a companion What Makes My Mommy Best? 1998, Little Simon, Ages 3 up, $3.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
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