A tender portrait of paternal love in its many varieties.
A son recounts all the ways his father showed his love in this bilingual children’s book.
The dads in the storybooks of today often show complete command of their emotions and are endlessly forthcoming with their pride, vulnerability, and support. But author and illustrator Silva reminds readers in this book’s introduction that for plenty of dads of an older generation, or dads who weren’t raised in the American middle class, “it can be hard to openly share their feelings or bond with their kids” in the ways Western society believes they should. This children’s book is a love letter to fathers like the author’s, who prefer to use actions rather than gifts or words to convey the depth of their feelings. The text follows a consistent structure of two lines starting with “my Father said he loves me…” in both English and Spanish, accompanied by a digital illustration. Silva depicts a chronology of a working-class Mexican-American father and his son from the child’s birth through childhood. The narrative marks milestones like haircuts, working, and birthdays, with many illustrations pointing to agricultural work as well as traditional Mexican food, music, and decor; these represent declarations of love through hard work, sacrifice, and cultural pride, with the father showing his devotion through “his backbreaking work” and “the music he played.” The digital illustrations often have a photographic quality, which effectively enhances the book’s theme of memory.
Silva’s poignant and personal story offers a perspective on a kind of paternal love that is often misinterpreted; he writes in the afterword that “My Father said…he loved me…although not with words…now I know how much he cared.” His vibrant, 2-D art style conveys the idea that his life is full of dynamic love (despite not hearing the words) in a variety of domestic scenes, like bedrooms, kitchens, and family trips in the car; homes are decorated with colorful walls, paper banners, Catholic elements (like crosses), and photographs. The most compelling visual elements, however, are the pastoral depictions of the “backbreaking work” that the father does to sustain his family. Silva uses long lines that bisect the pages to represent the fields he and his family worked in, rendered in shades of green, brown, and orange to emphasize their importance. There are some subtle cues about class and the sacrifices made by those living the immigrant experience, perhaps most acutely in the image of “calloused working hands,” coarse with abrasions, over a planting field. A family scene in the car shows that the protagonist has other siblings and a mother, thus implying love in other forms, but this narrative is squarely an homage to his relationship with his father—his namesake—and the story of how he was taught how to love in turn. Children raised differently can learn a new love language from Silva’s tale, and children native to either language will get the words to appreciate how love may or may not manifest in their families.
A tender portrait of paternal love in its many varieties.Pub Date: July 28, 2024
ISBN: 9781958615300
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Con Todo Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 23, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
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