The Daddy Book

April 1, 2002
Just in time for Mother's Day and Father's Day, a pair of books by Todd Parr celebrates different kinds of parents. "Some mommies work at home/ Some mommies work in big buildings," states The Mommy Book, accompanied by Parr's signature combination of simple text and neon-bright contrasting colors with bold black line. Similarly, The Daddy Book highlights the differences between dads.

May 1, 2002
PreS-Gr 1-In these companion titles, Parr celebrates characteristics of mothers and fathers, and points out differences. For instance, "Some daddies teach you how to walk Some daddies teach you how to ride a skateboard"; "Some mommies fly kites Some mommies fly planes." The simple texts are accompanied by joyful, childlike illustrations done in vibrant colors, with faces that are yellow, tan, blue, purple, and other hues; figures and objects are outlined with thick, black lines. Parents of both genders are shown working at home and holding cleaning supplies. A few pages share the same text, for example, "All daddies [or mommies] like to watch you sleep!" The books close with the statement that all mommies [or daddies] "love to kiss and hug you" and "want you to be who you are!" While these titles do not overtly address single-parent households and nontraditional families, Parr allows youngsters to see the similarities that many families share by recognizing differences.-Shawn Brommer, South Central Library System, Madison, WI

Copyright 2002 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2002
\deflang1033\pard\plain\f3\fs24 Reviewed with Todd Parr's \plain\f3\fs24" The Mommy Book\plain\f3\fs24 .

Ages 2-5. In the spirit of the classic \plain\f3\fs24" Free to Be You and Me\plain\f3\fs24 song, "Parents are People," these companion titles celebrate the diversity of mommies and daddies. Using his signature neon palette and clean-lined, childlike art, Parr shows how mommies and daddies can drive different vehicles ("Some mommies drive minivans. Some mommies drive motorcycles"); work in different places ("Some daddies work at home. Some daddies work far away"); teach different things ("Some mommies teach you how to paint. Some mommies teach you how to play sports"), and so on. Parr's blazing colors show blue, green, and orange faces that seem multicultural. And children from single-parent homes will like that each book shows only one parent--loving, fun, and holding it all together. Bright, comforting, and written with appealing rhythm, these are good choices for lap-sharing or initiating conversations about families. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)