ShareThisFather's Day is coming -- why not give Dad a book he can read with the kids?
Here are some great new choices, all starring dads:
-- Author Eileen Spinelli celebrated the nightly reunions of working mothers and children in "When Mama Comes Home Tonight," published 11 years ago. Now, Spinelli turns her focus to fathers in "When Papa Comes Home Tonight" (Simon & Schuster, $16.99). In a series of graceful rhyming couplets, Spinelli highlights the joy that a father feels in spending quality time with his child after a day at the office. David McPhail's illustrations, done in watercolor, colored pencil and pen and ink, add to the book's cozy atmosphere and further expand the story by adding humorous details, including a playful dog and cat. (Ages 3-6).
-- A young girl and her father spend a leisurely day fishing on a lake in "That's Papa's Way" (FSG, $16.95). As author Kate Banks shows, each of them has a different way of doing things -- Papa likes to pick up worms with his fingers, while his daughter scoops them with her trowel, Papa whistles as he rows while his daughter sings "whoosh" to the waves. Yet their differences don't dampen the joy that father and daughter have in spending a glorious day together. Banks' text is filled with simple yet evocative details that help readers feel they are part of the story. Illustrations by Lauren Castillo, filled with lake colors of blue and green, bring further verisimilitude and underline the duo's delight in each other. (Ages 3-6).
-- A toddler takes readers through his day of fun with his two fathers in "Daddy, Papa, and Me" (Tricycle Press, $7.99). This board book is written in a cheerful rhyme by Leslea Newman, author of the groundbreaking picture book about same-sex parents, "Heather Has Two Mommies." Carol Thompson's illustrations, filled with energy and color, underline the love shared by the toddler and his two parents. A companion board book, "Mommy, Mama, and Me" (Tricycle Press, $7.99), is available. Both books offer a wonderful -- and overdue -- demonstration of how families come in all shapes and sizes. (Ages infant-2).
-- A young boy and his father set out to spend the day at a lake. Suddenly the boy's dad disappears -- replaced by a fun-loving crocodile. In "Crocodaddy" (Sterling, $14.95), author Kim Norman and illustrator David Walker team up to show the wild water play that results when Crocodaddy's in the water. Norman's rhyming text works fine, but it's Walker's eye-catching illustrations that will keep young readers turning the pages. (Ages 3-6).
--Dad wakes up in a "grrrrizzly mood" one day -- in fact, he's actually turned into a "a great big grizzly bear." But his young son isn't scared. Instead, he confronts his dad about his bear of a bad mood and the two head off for an afternoon of fun. In "Grizzly Dad" (David Fickling Books/Random House, $16.99), author/illustrator Joanna Harrison tells a fantasy tale that will have young readers and their dads cheering. Don't miss the final page of this over-sized picture book, where Harrison concludes her story with a hilarious visual joke. (Ages 3-6).
-- Kids and their dads can spend hours of fun together with the help of "Things To Do With Dad" (Scholastic, $9.99). Written by Chris Stevens, this book offers directions for doing all kinds of interesting activities, including indoor fishing, a soccer ball juggling contest or turning the kitchen into "Dad's Diner." Featuring retro-style illustrations by A.J. Garces, this slim volume is packed with great ideas for Dad-and-kid time. (Ages 4 up).
-- Three other books offer a special focus on fathers:
-- Actress Brooke Shields highlights the special time two girls have with their dad in "It's the Best Day Ever, Dad!" (HarperCollins, $17.99). Shields' text is pleasant, if a bit bland; Cori Doerrfeld's illustrations, drenched with color and filled with movement, steal the show. (Ages 3-6).
-- Animal dads join a human father in telling their dreams for their little ones in "My Love Will Be With You" (HarperCollins, $17.99), written by Laura Krauss Melmed and illustrated by Henri Sorenson. This book, which is a companion to the duo's 1993 "I Love You As Much....," is sentimental, but still quite appealing. (Ages 2-4).
-- Dads of various ethnic backgrounds fill the pages of "My Dad and Me" (Little Simon/Simon & Schuster, $7.99), written by Alyssa Satin Capucilli and illustrated by Susan Mitchell. Young readers are likely to be particularly drawn to the book's series of foldout pages featuring dads from around the world. (Ages 2-4).
(Karen MacPherson, the children's/teen librarian at the Takoma Park, Md., Library, can be reached at Kam.Macpherson(at)gmail.co
CHILDREN'S CORNER
