Do I Have a Daddy?: A Story About a Single-Parent Child [Paperback]

Jeanne Warren Lindsay (Author), Jami Moffett (Illustrator)

Book Description

Addressing single-parent families, this book helps kids with absent, deceased, and unknown dads talk about and deal with this often difficult situation. When Erik, a preschooler, is teased by other children about not having a dad, his mother explains that there are many kinds of fathers, and not all of them live with their children. The story serves as a conversation starter and can be adapted to meet a child’s specific needs. Parents learn the importance of being honest while allowing their children to retain a positive view of the absent parent.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1-While playing house, Erik is prompted by a questioning friend to ask his mother if he has a daddy. She tells him that he had a daddy in the beginning but that he left. She further explains that some parents get married and take care of their children together, but that she and Erik's father never married because they were so young. Erik's mother emphasizes how much she wanted him and how excited his daddy was when he was born. The story ends with the boy's mother reminding him of the important role his uncle and grandfather play in his life. The text is written in a positive and nurturing manner, and lets children know that there are many different types of family situations. An informative section for single parents on ways they can deal with this issue follows the story. The illustrations are somewhat stiff and amateurish, but do an adequate job of visualizing the text for young children. This book should have a place in libraries, counselors' offices, and social workers' collections.
Susan Knell, Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

When Erik is taunted by his friend about not having a father, he goes home and confronts his mother: "Where's my daddy?" She answers his difficult question and others by explaining that there are different kinds of daddies, and Erik's was too young to take on the responsibilities of marriage. She reassures him that she will always be there for him and urges him to spend time with his uncle and grandpa who love him. Following the story is a section devoted to single parents, which, although seemingly geared toward less-experienced single parents, provides good tips for any single parent handling similar questions and emphasizes the importance of being honest and positive. The book will be useful in presenting the concept of single-parent families to a wide audience. Helen Rosenberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Morning Glory Press; Revised edition (November 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1885356633
• ISBN-13: 978-1885356635
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 8.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #411,136 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars my daughters favorite, April 25, 2002

By 

Maja Hadzic (Beograd, Serbia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Do I Have a Daddy?: A Story About a Single-Parent Child (Paperback)

If you are a single mom or dad raising your child alone this book will definitely be helpful for both of you.
It is my daughters favourite book for bed time reading. Written in such a simple manner it was easy for me to simultaniously translate and make it interesting in my language. It gave her a feeling that she is not the only kid living alone with mommy and gave her courage to ask more detailed questions while listening.

The sections for adults helped me more then all the other books written exclusively for single moms and dads.

If you are not certain, buy the book and will not regret it.

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not for Single Mothers by Choice, December 28, 2006

By 

A. N. Brown (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Do I Have a Daddy?: A Story About a Single-Parent Child (Paperback)

This book is good for some situations, but it is not appropriate for planned single parent families, i.e. through donor insemination or adoption. More specifically, it is designed for talking about why the man who fathered you is not here, not for talking about why I chose to start a family with you without a father.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book for single parents and their kids., February 7, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Do I Have a Daddy?: A Story About a Single-Parent Child (Paperback)

When his friend Jennifer taunts him with his not having a daddy, Erik goes to his mother and asks her why he doesn't have a father. Erik's mother explains the, like all children, Erik has a daddy but that she and his father never married. His father went away soon after Erik was born. But, she also tells him, "The important thing is I'm here for you." The presence of fatherless children is pervasive in our schools and communities. Do I Have A Daddy? is a sensitively portrayed story that young single parents and caregivers can use to help explain this critically important and emotionally laden issue with young boys and girls growing up with a never-married parent and the totally absent father. Do I Have A Daddy? is also available in hardcover.