School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-In this heartwarming picture book, a grandmother shares stories with her grandson about his dad, who listens and watches with a smile. Once she opens the photo album, readers are engaged in a tender trip down memory lane. Grandma points out the similarities in appearance and behavior between father and son. Both are "puny and red-faced" when they are born. They begin school with trepidation, but with practice learning becomes easier. Some days, Dad could be "sweet," "wild," bossy, or raise a "ruckus," just like his son. Walker's use of layers of acrylic paints creates soft, gentle illustrations. Small details, such as black corners on the photos, provide authenticity to the time span. Characters' facial expressions and body language successfully capture emotions, actions, and reactions. Children will laugh at the spreads of Dad as a baby joyously singing in a bubble bath; pretending to be a race car, a gorilla, a cowboy, or a masked bandit; moping through a time-out; and coping with the disappointment of losing a baseball game. The humorous text is in perfect sync with the simple illustrations. This unique book is an excellent choice, particularly for Father's Day.-Anne Beier, Hendrick Hudson Free Library, Montrose, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
A boy gets a lesson in family history from his grandmother, who helps connect past and present. "When he started school, your daddy said: "It's hard" and "Do I have to" Just like you." The "like father, like son" idea also extends to the baseball diamond, the time-out chair, and bedtime ("Your daddy wasn't always brave, especially at night"). Walker's smudgy acrylics mirror the soft tone of Bennett's prose, as the boy's father experiences familiar childhood emotions (oddly, the boy himself only appears in the opening and closing scenes). Ages 3-5. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
