ALWAYS MY DAD

Based on her own childhood experiences, Wyeth's first picture book tells of a girl's special relationship with her father. The young narrator, who lives with her mother and three younger brothers, describes how she longs for the father she rarely sees because he is forced to take distant jobs. The children spend the summer on their grandparents' farm and there are visited by their father. Suddenly, mundane activities become exciting and the children's hours are filled. Then, the visit ends. Although Wyeth doesn't fully explain why the father cannot stay at home, or the nature of his relationship to their mother, the poignancy comes through. This is a melancholy look at a child's love for a parent and pain at separation. Newcomer Col¢n's muted, stylized prints beautifully enhance the bittersweet tale; with sculpted forms set against a scratchy texture, and filled with playful, pliant light, this is some of the most evocative art ever to grace a page. (Picture book. 4-8)