OWEN'S DAY WITH DADDY

With a little extra love from his dad, Owen adjusts to becoming a new big brother.

Owen’s dad and baby brother sweetly play together until Owen, overcome with jealousy, cries out, “I want to do something with you, Daddy!” Owen’s tantrum is followed by a tummy ache. Dad responds to the child’s hurt with validation and calm. They decide to do three fun things: feed ducks at the park, go down the big slide at the playground, and order cheeseburgers at the drive-thru. Within these simple activities, Owen is reminded of his deep connection to his father while practicing skills he can apply to older brotherhood (like nurturing ducklings and braving his fears of an unfamiliar challenge). By the end of their father-son day, Owen’s envy has morphed into thoughtfulness toward his new sibling; as they drive home, Owen asks, “Can babies drink milkshakes?” and when he returns home, he gently kisses his little brother. Though Owen and his dad never explicitly unpack the child’s jealousy, the narrative positively models adults being patient with Owen and affirming his difficult emotions, complemented by the illustrations, rendered with childlike simplicity. Owen, his father, and his brother are pale-skinned with black hair; Owen’s mother is light-skinned with brown hair. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An uncomplicated story about the small ways that dads can help young ones accept their new siblings.