YOU MADE ME A DAD

There is much to both teach and to learn in becoming a dad.

This story begins with a couple’s pregnancy. It is narrated by Dad, as a story or letter told to his child. It is clear from the outset that the white male partner is thrilled to become a parent. He looks longingly at other fathers interacting with their children in tiny detail illustrations in the end pages. He bends down on his knees to connect directly with his brown-skinned partner’s ever growing belly. He is gentle and caring with Mommy, rubbing her feet and consoling her fears. He describes his child’s arrival in simple words that will resonate with all parents: “you were perfect.” From here the tone shifts from anticipation to exaltation, as Dad recounts the important things he is learning from his biracial child, like “how to dance silly” and “hide in the sneakiest spots.” Interestingly, after the child arrives, Mom is not seen or mentioned again; she is even absent from the child’s family drawings. Because this is unaddressed in the text, it feels unnerving—did something happen to her? Regardless, the star of this show is the very special bond between Dad and child.

A joyful and tender love letter to fatherhood.