SATURDAY WITH DADDY

This slice-of-life tale about a bright blue anthropomorphized elephant family is pleasant but fails to excite.

Saturday is the day that a perky young pachyderm spends with his dad. Clear but pedestrian language recounts each activity the two engage in throughout the day: “After breakfast we get dressed. Then Daddy and I hop in the car and head to Mr. Patel’s market. / We sing along to our favorite songs on the radio.” They get the supplies for a cookout, work together to build a grill, enjoy a meal in the backyard—even after spilling some lemonade—toss a Frisbee and finally “pile into the big hammock” for a nap. While Andreasen’s illustrations are cheery and vibrant, the text rarely succeeds in conveying the quiet joys father and child have as they go about their suburban activities.

Preschoolers will enjoy seeing the young elephant helping out and participating in some fun on every page—the pair is adorable in their matching orange aprons—but although well-intentioned, this title remains flat and forgettable.