Kevin and His Dad

by Irene Smalls

Overview

With Mom away, a young boy and his Dad spend the day together having fun. They clean up the house and deepen their father son love bond.

"Gorgeous paintings and lyrical text celebrate the father-son bond and the joy to be found in the everyday activities they share." - Sesame Street Parents

"Smalls treats the material without pretense, leaving it guileless and thus accessible to readers."

- Kirkus Reviews

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780978503109
Publisher:	McNeil Publishing
Publication date:	04/15/2022
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.09(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Irene Smalls, MBA, is the award-winning author of 15 books for children including Jonathan and His Mommy. A storyteller as well, Smalls has traveled around the world sharing her stories. Twice she was invited to the White House in Wash.D.C. Smalls' urban stories show cities are places of family love and community.

Editorial Reviews

Large, textured illustrations convey the love between an African-American father and his young son as they work and relax together one Saturday. While Mom is away, the two clean house, then head out to play baseball and go to a movie. Wordplay jazzes up the descriptions of dusting, washing windows and doing laundry, while the family dog adds a touch of humor. The boy’s excitement and his father’s pleasure in spending a whole day together come across in a way that children will appreciate.

Kathleen Odean

There is something profoundly elemental going on in Smalls's book: the capturing of a moment of unmediated joy. It's not melodramatic, but just a Saturday in which an African-American father and son immerse themselves in each other's company when the woman of the house is away. Putting first things first, they tidy up the house, with an unheralded sense of purpose motivating their actions: "Then we clean, clean, clean the windows,/wipe, wipe, wash them right./My dad shines in the windows' light." When their work is done, they head for the park for some batting practice, then to the movies where the boy gets to choose between films. After a snack, they work their way homeward, racing each other, doing a dance step or two, then "Dad takes my hand and slows down./I understand, and we slow down./It's a long, long walk./We have a quiet talk and smile." Smalls treats the material without pretense, leaving it guileless and thus accessible to readers. Hays's artwork is wistful and idyllic, just as this day is for one small boy. (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews