What Do You Call Your Dad? (Ashleigh Barton, illus Martina Heiduczek, ABC Books)

What Do You Call Your Dad? is a love letter to fathers by writer Ashleigh Barton (Freddie Spector, Fact Collector: Space Cadet) and illustrator Martina Heiduczek (Spies in the Sky), the bestselling duo behind What Do You Call Your Grandpa? and What Do You Call Your Grandma? This new title continues the celebration of families from all around the world, and the many different names we call our fathers, from Baba to Papi. It will introduce curious young readers aged 3+ to a slew of interesting vocabulary and characters, including a young Slovak girl called Adela whose Otec helps her take their sick puppy to the vet, and a young boy called Ikemba who is on a road trip with his Nna, the Igbo word for father. The relationship of each child with their father is presented in a heartfelt rhyming stanza, with each vignette giving us a small window into many different families. The illustrations are bright and engaging, with plenty of small details to be discovered along the way, whether the families are curled up on the couch watching a movie, or singing together atop a wild mountainous landscape. At the end of What Do You Call Your Dad? there is a thorough glossary for each of the translations. This charming and inclusive story is perfect for Father’s Day, and all year round.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Karys McEwen is a librarian, bookseller, author, and the vice president of CBCA VIC Branch. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

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