Daddies Are Awesome

Originally published in Australia, this ode to affectionate, caring, and adventurous fathers features a cast of canines, richly evoked in pencil and paint. Cream-colored backgrounds let readers zero in on the tenderness in Lovsin’s illustrations: a scruffy white dog hangs from its father’s tail (“Daddies are playful./ They swing you around”), and a page turn shows a dachshund smiling proudly as his kids loll around on his back (“You ride on their shoulders/ or hang upside down”). Costain’s sweetly simple rhymes are well-matched to Lovsin’s cuddly dog portraits, and human fathers may want to brush up on their knowledge of the breeds pictured—kids will want to know. Ages 4–8. (May)