Daddy Goes to Work (Hardcover)

by Jabari Asim (Author), Aaron Boyd (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1–In a rhyming text, an African-American girl tells about spending the day with her father at his office. After she and Daddy ride the subway together, the youngster meets his coworkers, helps him write memos, and holds the posters for a presentation. At midday, they head outside for a bite to eat and a walk through the park. At five o'clock, it's time to call Mom and tell her they are on their way home. Unfortunately, many of the rhymes sound forced, the rhythm is sometimes awkward, and the word choices don't always ring true for the narrator's age. The double-page watercolor illustrations effectively depict the child and her parents, as well as scenes of the city and Daddy's workplace. Boyd portrays the multiethnic cast nicely for the most part, but falls down in his rendering of some of the background characters, who look unfinished, and a laptop that has too many overly raised keys to appear even remotely realistic. While this picture book may fulfill a need in some collections, the uneven writing and artwork prevent it from being more than a marginal purchase.–Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
PreS-Gr. 2. In rhyming couplets, a young African American girl describes a day at the office with her dad. After Mom helps her dress and Dad serves breakfast, father and daughter ride the train to a large office building, where the girl assists with memos and meetings and eats lunch from a hotdog stand. The lines sometimes feel forced ("Daddy's chair is noisy. / I hear its squeaky wheels / While he talks on the phone / About contracts and deals"), and, though many kids won't care, Dad's generic office job isn't defined. Still, there are few stories about Take Your Child to Work Day, particularly ones that depict an African American family. Asim's words emphasize the warmth between father and daughter: "You were great today," says Daddy. Boyd's vivid, contemporary watercolors reinforce the family's closeness and the exciting bustle of city and office, and domestic details (decorative masks) celebrate the family's African American heritage. Suggest Kate Banks' The Night Worker (2000) for another child's view of a parent's job. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers (May 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316735752
• ISBN-13: 978-0316735759
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 9.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,281,091 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A lovely book!, May 23, 2006

By	armchairinterviews.com (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

As a child, I remember the excitement I felt upon waking up and realizing that this was the day I was to go to work with my dad. There was nothing like it. I felt so special and important. And the idea that my dad wanted to spend the entire day with me was exhilarating.

Daddy and his young daughter go to the office together. They begin their journey on the subway reading the newspaper, walk to the building together, head upstairs in a big elevator, work a bit, have lunch, work some more and then head home. Now, that might not sound exciting, but for the little girl in the story and the little girl I was years ago, we would disagree. It is the most exciting day ever!

I love brightly colored and detailed illustrations Aaron Boyd has provided in some attractive and inviting scenes. I also love the racial diversity of Daddy Goes to Work.

Armchair Interviews says: This is a lovely book about daddy and daughter sharing time together.

5.0 out of 5 stars (RAW Rating: 4.5) - Daddy's little girl..., February 9, 2007

By	The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

DADDY GOES TO WORK is an endearing story about a little girl who gets to spend the day with her father at work. From the first page, author Jabari Asim's use of playful, rhyming language captures the reader's attention and draws them into the little girl's sense of excitement. To the father in the book, the day may seem relatively ordinary, but even the most mundane aspects of his job captivate his daughter. From waking up a little earlier than usual to returning home from a busy day at work, the entire experience is very special.

So often in our society, at least in my opinion, the role of fatherhood is under appreciated. In DADDY GOES TO WORK Jabari Asim brought fatherhood to the forefront and highlighted the special relationship shared between father and daughter. Aaron Boyd's illustrations are warm, colorful, inviting, and most of all, fun. Children, even those who have not yet learned to read, are likely to enjoy the scenes depicted on the pages because they are rich with detail. Any time spent together between parent and child is special, and in DADDY GOES TO WORK both parents and children alike can see how something as simple as a day at work with a parent, and a parent sharing a side of their life children don't normally see, is indeed a special treat.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

5.0 out of 5 stars Off to work we go, October 16, 2006

By	Shania Duncan "www.altimatepublishing.com" (California) - See all my reviews

A warm story of a little girl accompanying her to dad to work at the office. The illustrations are very realistic and add a great deal to the story. This is a great book to add to any multicultural collection as it demonstrated a supporting and loving family. Also a good book to use for take your child to work day.