This is My Daddy! Reviews
School Library Journal
“Conventions of gender, species, and race have all been rendered moot, making this a universal book for lapsitting young ones and their caregivers to point at and select…With the call-and-response format of “Who is my daddy?” and “This is my daddy!” this generous game will inspire noisy story hours as well as reassuring bedtime rituals.”
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A Fuse #8 Production by Elizabeth Bird, “2020 Board Books”
“Mies Van Hout may be right up there with Herve Tullet as one of those international uncontested winners when it comes to board books for the young. Her style is unparalleled and, to be frank, downright gorgeous. The conceit is kind of cute too….I love how interactive the book is. One quick note: the spine does have a tendency to rip a little since the cover is made of that poofy material you sometimes find with board books. May not be great for libraries, but for gifts there are few to match it. Beautiful.”
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Youth Services Book Review
“Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review)4
What did you like about the book? A fun interactive story with funny animal challenges….The bright, colorful characters and playful storyline celebrate the bond of father and child. It is sure to engage young children, and support their abilities to notice details, think critically, and predict what will come….
To whom would you recommend this book? A wonderful book for fathers to share with their sons. And a great read aloud for PreK-K to build observational skills and have fun together.”
—Julie Durmis, J.C. Solmonese Elementary School, Norton, MA
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Mr. Alex’s Bookshelf
“Mies Van Hout leads you on a dynamic visual journey in her latest contribution to the world of Board Books: This is My Daddy!
Board Books can be well, dull. Not for the kids. Children love them, if they are done correctly. But, for adults, the lessons contained in a Board Book are among the most basic of lessons and, as a child often likes to repeat them over and over, they can start to grow tiresome on the reader. This is My Daddy!, however, provides entertainment both for the child and the adult….Van Hout layers clues into her carefully crafted illustrations so that even if you are unfamiliar with the particular species, you can make an educated guess.
In trademark Van Hout style, the visuals are big, bold and bright. The artwork on the ‘reveal’ pages encompasses an entire two-page spread dominating the visual field and highlighting the father/child relationship. This is particularly important as there are so few Children’s Books on the market that reinforce the father/child bond. This is a welcomed addition.”
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CM Magazine
“The contents of This Is My Daddy! are not the simple matches of the familiar kitten/cat, puppy/dog, calf/cow or piglet/pig variety….The physical book, with its padded cover and round corners, is very child safety-friendly, and the glossy cardstock paper will stand up to the manipulations of fingers just learning to turn pages….
This participation book, with its colorful illustrations, belongs in libraries serving the target age group, and it would be a good home purchase as well.
Recommended.”
—Dave Jenkinson, CM’s editor, lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
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Five Books
“Illustrated in Mies van Hout’s cheerful and distinctive style, in addition to being fun and interactive this book can help toddlers develop their observation skills. The less obvious pairs, such as tadpole and frog, are a helpful reminder about not making assumptions.”
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Sal’s Fiction Addiction
“Little ones are invited to take part in reading both the repetitive question and its accompanying answer. The question and the creature asking face a page with four choices each time. It affords growth in vocabulary, practice in reading (even for little ones), and a good deal of fun for all. Kids love interactive books, and are generally happy to read them again and again. They like the success that comes with knowing the pattern and the answer.
Each choice is made from a set of four dads. All have things in common, but only one is the Daddy. The baby rhino chooses from blue/green images of an elephant, a rhinoceros, a hippopotamus, and a crocodile. Talk can lead to the difference between a rhino and a hippo, habitat, the fact that each has four legs, etc. Once the child listener has made a decision, a turn of the page provides a full-page answer spread of father and child enjoying each other’s company.
Some of the creatures are less easily identified than others. That will lead to further learning as explanations will ensue. For the very young, it won’t be as important as it is the older toddler. Both will garner enjoyment and new learning from sharing it.
Perfect as a bright and appealing gift for a new baby, or to be included in a book basket meant to start a brand-new home library. Mies Van Hout is a talented writer and illustrator whose bold colors are distinct and appreciated by young readers.”
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Metroland
“Young children will enjoy this simple book with bright, colourful illustrations. The reader is given an illustration of a young animal and then four illustrations where one animal is the father and the reader is asked to pick the correct illustration…
This is My Daddy will keep young children entertained and features fairly durable pages, a padded cover and rounded corners.”
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Canadian Bookworm
“This delightful toddler book explores colour, shapes, and other early learning concepts….I just loved this book, for the thought that went into it and the lovely pictures. There is humour and fun throughout.”
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