I Lost My Dad, by Taro Gomi

Gomi, Taro. I Lost My Dad. Illustrated by Taro Gomi. Kane/Miller Book Publishers, 2001. 32 pages. $12.95, ISBN 1-929132-04-2

AGE LEVEL
1 and 2 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW
Suddenly separated from a loved one in a shopping mall, who among us at some time in our childhood hasn’t experienced the sheer panic that we might never find them again? Taro Gomi’s young first-person narrator finds himself in this exact position, one moment all smiles at the controls of a small crane in the toy department, the next open-mouthed and realizing that he is alone and staring at a crowd of unknown faces. Gomi, however, turns a potentially frightening situation into a fun game, as our young hero runs through the clothing department, the musical instruments display, and even into the men’s bathroom on his quest to find Dad. Several pages of the book are cut in unique sizes, allowing a portion of the next page to show, leading our protagonist to chase what he believes could be Dad’s tie, his hat, his shoes, etc. The inclusion of a brief five to ten words on each two-page spread is a perfect match for the 0-4 age group, as is the repetitive nature of the plot in which the narrator thinks several times that he’s found Dad, only to have his hopes dashed once the page is turned. The watercolor illustrations are simple and humorous, revealing the main characters’ emotional states with the smallest of strokes. This book is just simply enormous fun, complete with a thrilling escalator conclusion!

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
This is a good time for librarians to remind parents/caregivers to set up a "lost" action plan, so that their children know what to do if they are ever in this situation. A police officer could even be invited to provide practical tips.  A good song/action rhyme to accompany this book is:

          FIVE LITTLE DUCKS

          5 little ducks went out one day
          Over the hills and far away, 
          Mommy/Daddy duck called quack quack quack,
          But only 4 little ducks came back.

          4 little ducks went out one day
          Over the hills and far away,
          Mommy/Daddy duck called quack quack quack,
          But only 3 little ducks came back.

          Repeat the pattern for 3 little ducks, 2 little ducks, 1 little duck…

          No little ducks went out one day
          Over the hills and far away,
          Mommy/Daddy duck called quack quack quack,
          And 5 little ducks came wandering back.