My Dad is Awesome

Kids who idolize their dads just may recognize him in this slight but breezy portrait of one terrific father. Butterworth's humorously hyperbolic illustrations depict a friendly looking father living up to the narrator's description of all the ways in which his dad is ``awesome'': five kids and a dog are piled on his back to prove ``He's as strong as a gorilla''; he becomes a one-man band--with drum on back, guitar in hand and accordion strung between his knees--to show that ``he can play any instrument''; and he throws six items into the air (including a bag of tomatoes) to demonstrate that ``he can juggle with anything.'' Though not truly ``awesome'' (Kristy Parker's My Dad the Magnificent , illustrated by Lillian Hoban, is a more substantial treatment of the theme), this book may inspire youngsters to consider the little--and not so little--things that make their own dads special. Ages 2-up. ( May )