Our Shed: A Father-Daughter Building Story

A father with pale skin and brown hair teaches his creative, tan-skinned daughter woodworking skills as the duo builds a shed in their backyard over the course of three days. Through a first-person perspective and simple, straightforward prose, Broder follows the project, including steps such as checking boards for warping and how to guide and use a saw. Imaginative interludes charm while hammering home the narrator’s youth and the duo’s close relationship: “The daddy-dragon roars as if he’s breathing fire... After defeating the beast, I hand Dad the nails when he asks for them. I check the boards with the level to make sure everything is straight.” O’Neill adds dynamic dot-eyed humans in a gentle color palette that features a recurring pink dragon motif. Late-narrative time lapses feel slightly jarring, but this sweet parent-child story effectively celebrates hands-on intergenerational collaboration. Ages 5–7. [em](May) [/em]