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.

My Father is Taller than a Tree, by Joseph Bruchac and Wendy Anderson Halperin

Bruchac, Joseph. My Father is Taller than a Tree. Illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2010. 28 pages. $16.99, ISBN 978-0-8037-3173-8

AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW

Whether standing at the edge of the clouds overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge or simply horsing around in the family room, these fathers and sons revel in the simple joy of togetherness. In two short sentences apiece, Bruchac captures special moments between thirteen father-son pairs, focusing on these dads’ attentiveness to their boys: “Dad knows the times I like to hide / and when to call me back inside.” In her illustrations, Halperin combines crayon and colored pencil to beautifully sketch and shade each pair’s day. Her inclusion of one large drawing and four smaller ones of each pair is a unique format which answers the question of 'what happened next' in a satisfying way. Other stand-out aspects of this book are its inclusion of father-son pairs of various ethnicities and races, fathers of various ages, and a visually challenged dad.  Due to the amount of detail in the smaller illustrations on each two-page spread, this is a book to take your time with as you share it, especially with 0-2 year olds.

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
For younger children, pair this book with the following lap-bounce rhyme, advising caregivers to substitute child’s name for ‘Uncle John’, and insert alternatives for "father" and "mother" as needed, depending on the child's home situation.

          FATHER AND MOTHER AND UNCLE JOHN:

         
          Father and Mother and Uncle John went to market one by one. (Hold child 
          on lap, facing away.  Bounce child gently up and down on your knees.)

          Father fell off. (Drop legs quickly or dip child to one side.)

          Mother fell off. (Drop legs quickly or dip child to other side.)

          But Uncle John went on and on and on... (Bounce faster and faster.)

Yoko, by Rosemary Wells

Wells, Rosemary. Yoko. Illustrated by Rosemary Wells. Hyperion Books for Children, 1998. 32 pages. $10.17, ISBN 0-7868-2345-3

AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW

Three-to-four year-olds who are about to start preschool or kindergarten will enjoy this story about Yoko, a kitten who unwittingly singles herself out by bringing to school that most mortifying of all classroom faux pas, a “weird” lunch.  Help comes in the form of a caring and creative teacher who steps in to remedy Yoko’s embarrassment by decreeing an international potluck day, with the aim of getting the class to try the youngster’s sushi and learn something about accepting and celebrating individual differences along the way.  But even this does not completely do the trick, with one more plot twist necessary to an eventual happy resolution and  a new friendship for Yoko.  The illustrations of Yoko and her puppy, raccoon, rabbit, and other furry classmates are adorable, painted in both bright and soft watercolors, marred only slightly by a bit of uneveness in the quality of the depictions of a couple animals.  The length of the text may be most appropriate for somewhat older children, but the vocabulary is not too complex nor the pacing too rapid for three-to-four year-olds to enjoy this charming and highly recommended book.

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
After reading the story aloud, ask children to name or think about something special about themselves or their family.  3-4 year olds can draw simple self-portraits which include this special aspect.

Together, by Hazel Hutchins & Alice Priestley

Hutchins, Hazel. Together. Illustrated by Alice Priestley. Annick Press, 2009. 22 pages. $19.95, ISBN 978-1-55451-208-9

AGE LEVEL
0-12 months

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW
What first grabs one about this book are its gorgeous illustrations.  Created digitally, the illustrations appear to be composed of watercolor images overlaid with sketched lines of colored pencil, a combination which makes every image appear beautifully multi-tonal.  The spare and repetitive text, consisting of a series of patterned questions and one word responses, is perfect for the youngest listeners.  Each question concerns the function of items such as buttons, shoelaces, clips, and other things which hold or fasten clothing together in some way.  The book ends with another depiction of the concept of  “together”: a hug between family members, assuring young children of the continuing love of their parents and grandparents in the midst of their growing independence in dressing themselves and in other areas of life.  The representation of a wide range of ethnicities and races in the book, as well as families of varying compositions and caregivers of varying ages, broadens even more the appeal of this highly enjoyable book.  

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
Ask children who they like to spend time with, and they can then draw a picture of themselves with this person.