Review by Booklist Review
In this autobiographical story, a young girl introduces her dad and explains that he cannot walk. The father is depicted in a wheelchair in some of the pictures, but the matter-of-fact text never explains his lack of mobility. Instead, a series of scenes demonstrates what the father and daughter do together. Each time the dad apologizes that he cannot participate in an activity (bike riding, skating, swimming, playing soccer, etc.), the daughter counters by describing something she is glad they share, such as ice fishing, building sand castles, or singing. Realistically, the girl acknowledges she sometimes wishes they could do things like skiing or riding a banana boat, but she definitely appreciates her dad's many talents. No mother is mentioned, but the girl's love for her father is evident on every page. Bright, playful pastel illustrations suggest a child's drawings, furthering the idea of a little girl writing her own story. Few children's books address having a parent who uses a wheelchair, making this affectionate portrayal of a father-daughter relationship even more valuable for library collections.--Whitehurst, Lucinda Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Korean author-illustrator Hong debuts with an affecting autobiographical story about a girl's relationship with her father, who uses a wheelchair. Narrative repetition establishes a gentle ebb and flow: at the park, beach, and elsewhere, the father apologizes that he cannot do certain things with his daughter, and she responds that she doesn't mind. "Sweetie, I'm sorry I can't go ice skating with you," he tells her, as fathers skate with their children on the facing page. "Don't worry, Dad," she replies. "Ice fishing together is much more fun!" Hong shows them perched on stools, fishing through small holes in the ice, but the initial ice-skating scene speaks volumes about their relationship, too. The girl's father may not be able to skate, but he can take her to the frozen pond, and he can lace up her skates. Hong's soft, childlike colored-pencil drawings convey a strong intimacy on each page; somewhat oddly, the man's wheelchair is only seen a few times. Disabilities bring limitations, Hong indicates, but not when it comes to a parent's love or to time well spent. Ages 4-8. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Horn Book Review
A little girl cheerily recounts life with her wheelchair-using father, who feels guilty for not being able to do certain activities with his daughter. She reminds Dad that while they can't play soccer or swim in the ocean together, they can make music and build sand castles. Hong richly distills complicated emotions through her compassionate child narrator and expressive, childlike colored-pencil illustrations. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
