Daddy, Will You Miss Me? [Paperback]

Wendy McCormick (Author), Jennifer Eachus (Illustrator)

Book Description

My daddy's going to work, far away in Africa -- without me.

What does a little boy do when his daddy is going away for a long time? He promises to save one thing every day to show his daddy when he returns; to say, "Good night, Daddy" every night before he goes to sleep; and to mark off each day on the calendar until his daddy's return. If he still misses his daddy, then he remembers all the things his daddy promised to do, and he knows that even though they're very far apart, they're still close in each other's heart.

With soft, tender illustrations and poetic text, this poignant and heartwarming story shows that the love between a father and child can span any distance.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A boy is saddened by his father's departure for a four-week business trip to Africa. "Eachus's softly focused lifelike portraits capture the sincerity and wistfulness of both adult and child," said PW. Ages 2-6. (May)
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3Four weeks seems like forever to a youngster whose dad is on a business trip in Africa. Rituals such as the father whispering his sons name to the wind and sending kisses across the ocean and the boy marking off the days on the kitchen calendar help pass the time. When the child and his mother feed the winter birds, he imagines his father watching giant African birds and when he follows animal tracks in the snow, he imagines the man following lions across the sand. When the day finally arrives for the narrator, his baby sister, and his mother to go to the airport, the boy is the first to find his father and leaps into his arms. This gentle picture book will be reassuring for children coping with a brief separation from a parent and is ideal for Fathers Day displays. The nameless childs first-person narrative is gentle and depicts a contemplative lad. The illustrations, done in warm, homey shades, are executed in crayon pencil and depict the boys world as one filled with love and parental support and concern. For another title dealing with a traveling parent, see Caroline Feller Bauers My Mom Travels a Lot (Puffin, 1985).Shawn Brommer, Southern Tier Library System, Painted Post, NY
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (May 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689850638
• ISBN-13: 978-0689850639
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 8.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,000,501 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for daddies in the military, January 10, 2003

By 

Sarah Green (Oceanside, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Daddy, Will You Miss Me? (Paperback)

My husband is in the military and I found this book when we found out he was going to Kuwait for six months. The message is beautiful and my husband and I cried together while reading it. Since my daughter is only 9 mos. old we wanted a way for her to think of her Dad every day. Each night we look at his photo and read this book. It's a special way for me to let her know that her daddy loves her and that he's coming home soon. This book is perfect for any family in a similar situation.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Wonderful!!, September 29, 2004

By 

M. J. Sutton "MJS" (Tokyo Japan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Daddy, Will You Miss Me? (Paperback)

My husband is in the military and I bought this book for my 4 and 2 year old before he deployed. This book was an extreme comfort to my 4 yr. old. I read it to her when she had a hard time dealing with my husbands deployment. It became a nightly ritual while he was gone. If your spouse is in the military, this is a must. It really hits home with the feelings and it also talked about daddies feelings too. We used the idea of saving things to show daddy and my daughter loved it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely warm and sensitive, February 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: DADDY, WILL YOU MISS ME? (Hardcover)

Incredibly sensitive and warm story of a father and his son as they deal with separation. I really liked the way the main character, the little boy, expressed his feelings about the separation from his father. It is a good book to read to your children if you travel. Also, it gives parents a good opportunity to discuss ways to deal with separation, again with your children. In addition to the superb writing, the illustrations in the book are tremendous.