PPBF: This Is My Dad

Today I'm thinking about my brother. And my Dad.

At this time two years ago, my brother Mark found a rickety rocker set out for garbage collection; instead of seeing it as rubbish, he saw possibilities, so he snagged it and brought it home. That's where I come into the story. Mipps savored the serendipity of Budget rental giving me a truck instead of a car because it just so happened that his rocker needed a ride to my Dad's workshop. Our Dad is a master carpenter and Mipps knew that if anyone could breathe new life into that old rocker, it was our dad. Just look at the joy in his face at such a small and seemingly trivial score. Fast forward two years and where is that rocker now? Living its best life on the back porch of my other brother's lake house, thanks to Mark's vision and dad's craft.

On to today's PPBF.

Title: This is my dad

Author: Dimity Powell

Illustrator: Nicky Johnston

Publisher: EK Books

Birth Date: March 15, 2022

Suitable for: ages 4-8

Themes: family, feelings, role models

Brief synopsis: When Leo, who is being raised by his mom, gets a school assignment to talk about his dad, he sets out to figure out who his dad is. With mom just a little too busy working to help him out, how will Leo find out what he needs to know to complete this project?

Resources: Watch the book's trailer {here}.

Read a book review {here}.

Visit the author's page {here}.

Download a teacher's guide {here}.

Why I like this book: I love that this story covers such a sensitive topic: What do children who are being raised in a single-caregiver family do with assignments that ask them to talk about the other carer? In Leo's case, he sees it as a chance to get to know more about the father he doesn't have a relationship with; is he a world-renowned-surgeon dad or a first-class-hydrochute-inspector dad? Or even just a Frisbee-throwing dad? He hunts through his treasures for clues and even tries to fish for information with the neighbor next door. But alas, no one is able to tell him anything about his dad. I feel empathy for Leo as he searches for himself while trying to find his dad. I also feel compassion for him when his mom is too busy to help him. How would you feel if you were Leo on this page?

Prepare for this page to spark a myriad of emotions for the children in our care. The mom, an author working from home, is too busy working on her stuff to help Leo with his. Use this page as a springboard to talk with your learners about when and how they get their needs met. If mom's at work, perhaps she can't help you right then, but maybe later? What would you do to get mom's attention if you were Leo and really needed help?

Or maybe, just maybe, Leo didn't need her help at all. 

Sometimes even our youngest learners can surprise us when we get out of their way and let them lead. One of my favorite examples of that is this, when a second grader jumped up on her mom's kitchen counter to make cookies to send to our soldiers for Operation SOS.

It's actually his mom's work that ends up inspiring Leo 

to figure out who the father-figure in his life is.

Turns out his role model, 

the one he looks up to, 

the one he sees as

brave,

strong,

kind,

loving

amazing ...

is his mom.

{Even though sometimes she seems too busy for him.}

Use this treasure to explore all of the different ways

that your students identity with the word family.

Write an acrostic or draw a family crest.

Compare and contrast this book with 

Todd Parr's The Family Book.

Consider making a Wall of Fame to showcase

who the members of their families are.

And review this post regarding sensitivity about the language

we use to include all types of families to your school's events.

Check out today's book, then head to

Susanna Hill's blog for more terrific titles.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm on spring break

and headed to my back porch for some

reflection and restoration in my rocker.