You Made Me a Dad

by Laurenne Sala, Mike Malbrough (Illustrator)

Overview

A picture book for expectant fathers and already-fathers everywhere—a perfect gift for Father's Day and baby showers.

In this touching celebration of fatherhood, the close bond between parent and child comes to life with heartwarming resonance.

Laurenne Sala’s tranquil text, accompanied by Mike Malbrough’s tender watercolor illustrations, creates a warm look at the joys, fears, and responsibilities of being a dad over the years. Tear-inducing in the best way, and a great companion to the team's You Made Me a Mother.

I loved you before I saw you.

When you were just a heartbeat.

Then a picture.

Then a teeny-tiny kick...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062396945
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	05/07/2019
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	333,693
Product dimensions:	7.80(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Laurenne Sala, author of You Made Me a Mother, is a storyteller, poet, and writer of everything from television commercials to jokes for the stage to the occasional viral video. When she isn’t writing her own essays and making people cry, Laurenne leads workshops that help others write their very personal stories. She loves blueberries, her cat named Cheddar, riding her bike along the beach, and being a mom. Laurenne lives with her husband and daughter in Los Angeles, where she likes to look at the ocean and wonder what is on the other side.

Mike Malbrough is a creator of picture books, and a former graphic designer, comic book artist, performer, and teacher. He is the author-illustrator of his celebrated debut picture book, Marigold Bakes a Cake. Mike lives in Orange, New Jersey, with his wife, two adventurous kids, and a cat named Agnes.

Editorial Reviews

03/11/2019

A father with heavy-framed glasses and a receding hairline declares, “I loved you before I saw you. When you were just a heartbeat” (he’s pictured with his ear on his partner’s pregnant belly). Once the baby arrives, he quickly learns about his new roles: “I realized right away that I had a new job. I would teach you to be kind. To listen to good music. To be yourself. To make you giggle A LOT.” His child, who resembles her dark-skinned, wavy-haired mother, teaches him, too: “Because of you, I know what monsters sound like and how to dance silly... and that my heart is bigger than anything on Earth. (And in outer space, too).” Malbrough’s watercolor and digital illustrations bring warmth, energy, and dimension to this celebration of fatherhood. Also available: You Made Me a Mother. Ages 4–8. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Malbrough’s watercolor and digital illustrations bring warmth, energy, and dimension to this celebration of fatherhood.” — Publishers Weekly

“A joyful and tender love letter to fatherhood.” — Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2019-03-17
There is much to both teach and to learn in becoming a dad.

This story begins with a couple's pregnancy. It is narrated by Dad, as a story or letter told to his child. It is clear from the outset that the white male partner is thrilled to become a parent. He looks longingly at other fathers interacting with their children in tiny detail illustrations in the end pages. He bends down on his knees to connect directly with his brown-skinned partner's ever growing belly. He is gentle and caring with Mommy, rubbing her feet and consoling her fears. He describes his child's arrival in simple words that will resonate with all parents: "you were perfect." From here the tone shifts from anticipation to exaltation, as Dad recounts the important things he is learning from his biracial child, like "how to dance silly" and "hide in the sneakiest spots." Interestingly, after the child arrives, Mom is not seen or mentioned again; she is even absent from the child's family drawings. Because this is unaddressed in the text, it feels unnerving—did something happen to her? Regardless, the star of this show is the very special bond between Dad and child.

A joyful and tender love letter to fatherhood. (Picture book. 2-6)

Kirkus Reviews