MY DAD, MY ROCK

A boy imagines describing his dad to the grandfather that neither of them ever knew in this picture book about the connection between a child and a father.

“I never met my grandpa. And my grandpa never met my dad,” says the narrator, a child with fluffy red hair. He imagines what he would tell the absent grandfather, extolling the virtues of his own father, who keeps the child safe but also teaches him to do things on his own. The child praises his dad’s goofiness, the way he reads bedtime stories, and how he acknowledges the child’s feelings when the latter is sad or angry. Finally, the boy imagines his own future family and the kind of dad he’ll be. The narrator, his father, and his grandfather all appear White; the future narrator’s partner and children are depicted with brown skin tones. Santos ably describes the love and encouraging support that children want from parents at all stages of life. Using short sentences, Santos’ approachable text feels true to a child’s understanding of a nurturing parent, and it will also resonate with caregivers who strive to be positive role models. Forlati’s highly textured pastel illustrations offer realistic depictions of the love between a parent and child. Both the text and images share a subdued, comforting tone.

A beautifully illustrated, touching tale of love.