My Daddy

In this cleverly conceived picture book, everyday events in a father's routine take on a larger-than-life significance, thanks to a son's fertile imagination. As the boy proudly recounts his father's many feats (e.g., mowing the grass, going for a jog, even sneezing), the illustrations make it clear that where the reader sees a garden-variety, bespectacled dad, the boy sees a hero. ""My daddy can cross the street alone,"" boasts the boy, for example, as the briefcase-toting papa steps into what seems to be an ordinary city night. On closer look, however, the dramatic embellishments of the boy's fantasies become visible--a tiger prowls, an elephant lurks around the corner, a monkey clings to a lamppost. Paradis (Brass Button) combines spare text with thoughtful artwork to simulate the lens of a child's love and admiration. Realistic portraits use saturated color and dappled light, and the page design adds a further dimension--through most of the scenes, the boy plays spectator, placed at the bottom or to one side of each black-bordered portrait, and watching with readers. In the end, when the father returns home to greet his son with a hug, the boy finally steps into the action himself. A peek at his bedroom reveals the inspiration behind his daydreams: it overflows with stuffed jungle toys. This firmly grounded book offers playful insights into the importance of a father's role in a child's life. Ages 2-6. (June)