The Very Best Daddy of All - Hardcover

Marion Dane Bauer is the author of My Mother Is Mine, a companion to The Very Best Daddy of All; Grandmother's Song; Sleep, Little One, Sleep; and If You Were Born a Kitten, as well as many other books, including the Newbery Honor Book On My Honor. She lives in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

PreSchool-K–This heartwarming book shows various animal dads as they provide comfort, safety, companionship, and steady support to their youngsters. The straightforward text rhymes, although not in a set pattern, and is loosely repetitive, thus sounding soothing and sweet without becoming singsong. While the majority of the verses are stated in general terms ("Some daddies/comb your hair"), the last two pages are more personalized ("And my daddy... is the best,/the very best,/...daddy of all"). Most of the pastel paintings feature animal families; a bird sings his child awake, a luminescent fish builds a house, and a tall flamingo urges his nested offspring to "Keep trying!/Keep trying!" A human child and father appear at the end. The artwork is intimate and the focus is soft, yet all of the scenes are immersed in rich colors. As a bonus, the illustrations establish an expansive sense of place, moving readers from mountains to desert to river valley. The majority of the pages pay tribute to the glorious natural world, giving the book universal appeal.–Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI
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