I'm Proud of You

by Craig Melvin, Sawyer Cloud (Illustrator)

Overview

This heartfelt picture book from Today show co-anchor Craig Melvin is a tribute to fathers, sons, and the childhood milestones that inspire pride in every parent. Perfect for Father’s Day!

I’m proud of you when you try.

I’ll be cheering you on.

Always aim for the sky.

Through life’s ups and downs, a parent’s love is a reassuring constant. Complemented with lively illustrations by Sawyer Cloud, I’m Proud of You is an uplifting depiction of the special bond between dads and sons. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063206137
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	05/07/2024
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	22,044
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Craig Melvin is an award-winning news anchor on NBC News’s Today, cohost of the 3rd Hour of Today, and a host of syndicated Dateline NBC broadcasts. Melvin has covered a wide range of news events, including three presidential inaugurations, four Olympic Games, and six Super Bowls. He is a graduate of Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where he serves on the board of trustees. Melvin lives in Connecticut with his wife, son, and daughter.

Sawyer Cloud is a self-taught artist living in Madagascar, her birth country. She is a passionate artist with a huge interest in the power of dreams and freedom. Previous titles include The Juneteenth Story by Alliah L. Agostini and Sugar Pie Lullaby by Carole Boston Weatherford, among many others. Sawyer loves music and has a long list of dreams to accomplish, including traveling around the world. Visit her online at sawyer.cloud.

Editorial Reviews

04/08/2024

A speaker outlines all the ways they’re proud of their child in this greeting-card-style picture book, told from the perspective of a father. The titular refrain opens each spread, offering encouragement and advice: “I’m proud of you when you try./ I’ll be cheering you on./ Always aim for the sky.” Rhyming lines proceed to highlight character traits including bravery, curiosity, humor, kindness, and more, while underscoring the speaker’s unconditional appreciation and love (“Through good times and bad, no matter what...// I’m proud to be your dad”). Cloud’s slick digital artwork adds a degree of storytelling to the generalized text, depicting a “big brother” engaging in common youthful activities such as swimming, learning to tie shoes, studying science at school, and so on. Oddly, the lines never address the child’s apparent sibling, and the artwork features a secondary caregiver more frequently than the speaker. Still, a closing bedtime snuggle between Dad and child drives home the caring relationship behind this simple work. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Melvin conveys the joy of watching a child grow. Affectionate and affirming.” — Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher