Publisher: Chronicle Books

Release Date: March 2013

Price: $8.95

Creator: Andy Riley

Format: 64 pgs.; B&W; 6.5" x 4.8"; Hardcover

ISBN: 978-1-4521-1208-4

Age Rating: N/A

ICv2 Rating: 3.5 Stars out of 5

 

More varied than his earlier Bunny Suicides, this is the male half of a pair of new cartoon books.  This book is sort of a child's look at daddy, but not always told with a child's innocence.  The individual cartoons are generally very funny, although the format sometimes makes them seem repetitive.  Father doesn't really always know best, and has enough mistakes under his belt to make him human, but the dads in these cartoons are generally kind, loving and sometimes goofy.  They are sometimes overconfident and sometimes romantic, sometimes strong and confident, sometimes a little misguided.  The final lesson of the book is that dads are all of these things, and that’s part of why they are lovable.

 

The only real weakness the book has is its very short length.  It will be a book to read quickly and pass along. On the other hand, it might be an excellent gift for Father's Day, if you know that your dad has a sense of humor.

 

References to breasts and drinking mean that it is aimed at teens and up, rather than younger kids.  That's okay… younger kids won't get some of the jokes.

 

--Nick Smith: Librarian Technician, Community Services, for the Pasadena Public Library in California.