Sweet, interactive, and informational—a winsome combination.
An endearing guessing game involves 10 animal fathers.
A young tortoise named Sebastian knows that his dad is good at keeping him warm, especially during tender snuggles. But what else can fathers do? Daddy Tortoise has a long list of ideas. “Dads can do lots of things,” he says as a family of birds perch in a nest above. “Like chirp to their chicks to tell them it’s time to learn how to fly.” Sebastian dissolves into a fit of giggles: “Then he’s not a daddy tortoise like you!” Daddy wonders aloud, “Then whose dad is it?” A suspenseful page turn reveals Sebastian’s triumphant answer: “That’s Daddy Bird.” The pattern continues as Sebastian and his dad explore everything from spiders and grasshoppers to frogs and hedgehogs. Layouts vary between full-page spreads and comic book–like panels. Details such as long, shadowy ears or a silky web tucked in the corner of an image offer additional clues as to who the next father might be. Softly lined illustrations in burnt oranges and bright sunny yellows infuse the forest with warmth, echoing the cozy relationship between Daddy Tortoise and his hatchling. Originally published in Switzerland, this lovely tale invites fathers everywhere to cuddle their little ones close for a delightful read-aloud.
Sweet, interactive, and informational—a winsome combination. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 8, 2025
ISBN: 9780735845671
Page Count: 40
Publisher: NorthSouth
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2025
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren.
In talk-show host Fallon and illustrator Ordóñez’s latest picture-book collaboration, an elderly pooch waxes rhapsodic about a life well lived.
Observing Papa sitting in his chair watching TV all day, a young pup says, “I’m starting to think…you don’t do ANYTHING.” So Papa proceeds to list his accomplishments, both big and small, mundane and profound. Some are just a result of being older and physically bigger (being tall enough to reach a high shelf and strong enough to open jars); others include winning a race and performing in a band when he was younger. Eventually, the pup realizes that while Papa may have slowed down in his old age, he’s led a full life. The most satisfying thing about Papa’s life now? Watching his grandchild take center stage: “I can say lots of thoughts / but I choose to be quiet. / I’d rather you discover things and then try it.” Fallon’s straightforward text is sweetly upbeat, though it occasionally lacks flow, forcing incongruous situations together to fit the rhyme scheme (“I cook and I mow, / and I once flew a plane. // I play newspaper puzzles because it’s good for my brain”). Featuring uncluttered, colorful backgrounds, Ordóñez’s child-friendly digital art at times takes on sepia tones, evoking the sense of looking back at old photos or memories. Though the creators tread familiar ground, the love between Papa and his little one is palpable.
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9781250393975
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
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Plotless and pointless, the book clearly exists only because its celebrity author wrote it.
A succession of animal dads do their best to teach their young to say “Dada” in this picture-book vehicle for Fallon.
A grumpy bull says, “DADA!”; his calf moos back. A sad-looking ram insists, “DADA!”; his lamb baas back. A duck, a bee, a dog, a rabbit, a cat, a mouse, a donkey, a pig, a frog, a rooster, and a horse all fail similarly, spread by spread. A final two-spread sequence finds all of the animals arrayed across the pages, dads on the verso and children on the recto. All the text prior to this point has been either iterations of “Dada” or animal sounds in dialogue bubbles; here, narrative text states, “Now everybody get in line, let’s say it together one more time….” Upon the turn of the page, the animal dads gaze round-eyed as their young across the gutter all cry, “DADA!” (except the duckling, who says, “quack”). Ordóñez's illustrations have a bland, digital look, compositions hardly varying with the characters, although the pastel-colored backgrounds change. The punch line fails from a design standpoint, as the sudden, single-bubble chorus of “DADA” appears to be emanating from background features rather than the baby animals’ mouths (only some of which, on close inspection, appear to be open). It also fails to be funny.
Plotless and pointless, the book clearly exists only because its celebrity author wrote it. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 9, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-250-00934-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: April 14, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2015
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