From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3-These 22 poems vary in appeal, but make up one of the few collections on this often-asked-for subject. Contemporary children's poets such as X. J. Kennedy, Deborah Chandra, and Nikki Grimes, as well as Micklos himself, speak to the everyday but big-as-life importance of dads. Free verse or rhymed and metered, several of the poems sometimes border on the mundane, but there are a couple of jewels, such as Emanuel di Pasquale's "Father's Magic" or Karama Fufuka's "My Daddy Is a Cool Dude." Casilla's realistic paintings of families of diverse backgrounds should appeal to children, although the cover is unfortunately drab. Casilla also illustrated Myra Cohn Livingston's Poems for Fathers (Holiday, 1989; o.p.), a collection similar in scope, but with more lively selections (two of which are also included here). And although this collection doesn't begin to touch the vibrancy of Javaka Steptoe's In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall (Lee & Low, 1997), it may be appreciated in larger collections.
Nina Lindsay, Oakland Public Library, CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Nina Lindsay, Oakland Public Library, CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 3^-5, younger for reading aloud. This somewhat uneven but welcome anthology contains works from a variety of poets--men and women, well-known and lesser known--who consider how dads can and do have a positive effect on their children. The works cover a wide range of situations, from traditionally male activities such as giving piggyback rides or letting a child look on while Dad shaves, to more modern undertakings such as Dad's bathing the children or putting them to bed. Robert Casilla's realistic illustrations depict the face of fatherhood from many walks of life and reflect the joy of the parent-child relationship. Kids will recognize themselves and their fathers in the poems, and dads will be reminded of the fundamental importance of their role. Tim Arnold
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
