Affirming and communal in the most enduring of ways.
Daddy’s death leaves a hole in Lil’ Kev’s life, but a day out with his father’s closest friends helps him fill it.
Lil’ Kev’s the only boy in the house now, and though his loving family attempts to connect with him, things “aren’t the same.” His sisters try playing video games and racing cars with him; Momma shoots hoops with him. But the bond he shared with Daddy is irreplaceable. So he calls in the Uncles. Daddy’s four lifelong friends scoop Lil’ Kev up for a day filled with favorite meals, booming music, fresh kicks, basketball, and stories about the man they all miss. Laughter and tears surface without restraint throughout the day, and by the end, Lil’ Kev finds connection with the parts of his dad that live within the Uncles, within his family, and within himself. Williams has crafted a deceptively simple story that holds enormous emotional weight, grounding grief and healing in everyday acts of care and memory. The Uncles don’t attempt to replace Daddy or suppress Lil’ Kev’s sadness; instead, they give the boy the love and space he needs. Williams’ text offers an emotionally open, physically affectionate, and community-centered Black masculinity with the Uncles’ dap-ups, teasing, embraces, and attentive listening. Evans’ digitally rendered illustrations radiate warmth and movement, emphasizing physical closeness through expressive gestures, relaxed postures, and soft lighting that capture the overlap of longing and joy.
Affirming and communal in the most enduring of ways. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: Sept. 22, 2026
ISBN: 9781665965958
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2026
Plotless and pointless, the book clearly exists only because its celebrity author wrote it.
A succession of animal dads do their best to teach their young to say “Dada” in this picture-book vehicle for Fallon.
A grumpy bull says, “DADA!”; his calf moos back. A sad-looking ram insists, “DADA!”; his lamb baas back. A duck, a bee, a dog, a rabbit, a cat, a mouse, a donkey, a pig, a frog, a rooster, and a horse all fail similarly, spread by spread. A final two-spread sequence finds all of the animals arrayed across the pages, dads on the verso and children on the recto. All the text prior to this point has been either iterations of “Dada” or animal sounds in dialogue bubbles; here, narrative text states, “Now everybody get in line, let’s say it together one more time….” Upon the turn of the page, the animal dads gaze round-eyed as their young across the gutter all cry, “DADA!” (except the duckling, who says, “quack”). Ordóñez's illustrations have a bland, digital look, compositions hardly varying with the characters, although the pastel-colored backgrounds change. The punch line fails from a design standpoint, as the sudden, single-bubble chorus of “DADA” appears to be emanating from background features rather than the baby animals’ mouths (only some of which, on close inspection, appear to be open). It also fails to be funny.
Plotless and pointless, the book clearly exists only because its celebrity author wrote it. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 9, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-250-00934-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: April 14, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
A powerful affirmation for all dads—the good, the flawed, and those doing the best they can.
Dedicating his latest to “caregivers who give what they never got,” Caldecott Honor winner Robinson explores complicated feelings around fatherhood.
From the outset, the book appears to be a standard-issue Father’s Day offering, pairing brief, loving sentiments with images of animals. But it soon becomes clear that Robinson has crafted something much more complex. A frog with tadpoles nestled atop his back (“Dad is here”) is followed by an illustration of an owl leaving the nest (“Dad had to go away”). More contrasts are presented: a seahorse keeping his offspring safe in his pouch (“Dad holds on tight”), two shark pups swimming away from their frenzied-looking patriarch (“Dad need lots of space”). “Dad lets you down and makes mistakes” (a porcupine accidentally jabs his little one), but “Dad picks you up and makes you feel safe” (a lion snuggles his cub). And the human fathers we meet next—diverse in skin tone and ability—are equally multifaceted. Robinson outdoes himself, his bold and richly textured paint and collage artwork popping against the background. His artwork is rife with subtleties for careful readers—for instance, the look of uncertainty in the eyes of the gorilla father described as “strong.” For all its simplicity, this colorful book is laden with meaning, depicting fathers as vulnerable, imperfect, gentle, and empathetic—in a word, deeply human.
A powerful affirmation for all dads—the good, the flawed, and those doing the best they can. (more information on the animals presented) (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 12, 2026
ISBN: 9781250397041
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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