Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Dedicated to "caregivers who give what they never got," Robinson's animal-centric ode to fathers moves with a realistically nuanced portrayal of parents as people. Narration unfolds through opposition: "Dad is here now" reads text accompanying a frog escorting tadpoles upon its back; "Dad had to go away" follows as two wide-eyed owlets gaze at an adult in flight. While a seahorse models a tender father-child moment ("Dad holds on tight"), a shark ("Dad needs lots of space") and other animals touch on the way a dad sometimes "lets you down,/ and makes mistakes." When concluding pages pivot to human relationships, the depth-filled and textured paint and collage artwork captures fatherhood with tenderness and honesty: one dad wipes away a child's tears, and another "sheds a few of his own." Even amid the examples' push-and-pull, an underlying message of steadying care reassures, "Dad is with you,/ even when he's not." Human characters are depicted with varied abilities and skin tones. Ages 3--6. (May)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Dedicating his latest to "caregivers who give what they never got," Caldecott Honor winner Robinson explores complicated feelings around fatherhood. From the outset, the book appears to be a standard-issue Father's Day offering, pairing brief, loving sentiments with images of animals. But it soon becomes clear that Robinson has crafted something much more complex. A frog with tadpoles nestled atop his back ("Dad is here") is followed by an illustration of an owl leaving the nest ("Dad had to go away"). More contrasts are presented: a seahorse keeping his offspring safe in his pouch ("Dad holds on tight"), two shark pups swimming away from their frenzied-looking patriarch ("Dad need lots of space"). "Dad lets you down and makes mistakes" (a porcupine accidentally jabs his little one), but "Dad picks you up and makes you feel safe" (a lion snuggles his cub). And the human fathers we meet next--diverse in skin tone and ability--are equally multifaceted. Robinson outdoes himself, his bold and richly textured paint and collage artwork popping against the background. His artwork is rife with subtleties for careful readers--for instance, the look of uncertainty in the eyes of the gorilla father described as "strong." For all its simplicity, this colorful book is laden with meaning, depicting fathers as vulnerable, imperfect, gentle, and empathetic--in a word, deeply human. A powerful affirmation for all dads--the good, the flawed, and those doing the best they can. (more information on the animals presented)(Picture book. 3-5) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
