PARENT-CHILD READ ALOUD IS POWERFUL

In Milton D. and Amber P. Jones’ picture book, a little girl describes her adored father’s role in their home.

The father/daughter writing team (Cows and Buffalo, 2022) continue their Parent-Child Read Aloud is Powerful series. In this micro-narrative (short even by picture-book standards), Jai, a young Black girl, returns to proudly talk about all the activities she shares with her father (“My daddy takes me shopping to buy school clothes…”), following each statement with the refrain, “But that’s not the most important thing he does.” In the end, the girl reveals this most important thing, and it is a sentiment with which readers can hardly argue. Those being read to will find the uplifting message instantly relatable and a comforting reminder at the bedtime-story hour. The text is not rhymed but maintains a sing-song cadence, accompanied by simple digital illustrations with bright, pastel-like colors that should draw young eyes, even if the visual style is a bit generic. The simplicity of the execution and the profound family affirmation may remind some readers of the long-enduring works of Margaret Wise Brown. Caregivers wishing to make the book into a read-aloud tandem experience can enjoy turning the prose into a call-and-response verbal game with little ones.

A simple vignette of family love and appreciation, ideal for adult-child sharing.