Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This fresh and beguiling domestic fantasy from an Israeli team centers on a father who follows his bliss to the Big Top. Audrey and Zach, Dad's children, serve as the story's joint narrators, and Keret, making his picture-book debut, beautifully captures the solemn cadences of their precocious nature. When the day of the circus trip arrives, Dad is so carried away with excitement that he "behaved very irresponsibly, pulling all sorts of wild and dangerous stunts that could have ended in tears." Modan, a noted Israeli comics artist, shows Dad attempting a balancing act with housewares while roller-skating through the kitchen; here, as throughout the book, her vibrant pictures meld a hip graphic novel-sensibility with the brash naivet? of circus posters. When Dad actually leaves his family, Audrey and Zach remain sanguine, confident of Dad's enduring affection: "even when he was away, he didn't forget about us. He sent us mail from all over the world." Besides, Dad compensates with a homecoming to remember, in which he fills the shoes of every circus performer-a feat that Modan celebrates with a bravura double gatefold spread. The circus attitudes struck by all the members of the joyfully reunited family on the final spreads make clear that everyone has benefited from looking at life from a three-ring perspective (Dad uses his flame-throwing talents to cook the hotdogs, Mom twirls plates on a rake and umbrella). Even those decades away from a mid-life crisis will likely declare this one a winner. All ages. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-In this imaginative picture book, Dad joins the circus, travels around the world, and becomes a star. While the tale is meant to be taken tongue-in-cheek, some children may be concerned by the fact that the father abandons his family to follow his dream. However, the story ends happily with the man returning home. Done in pencil and then digitally layered and colored, the cartoon illustrations bring the narrative to life. From the excitement on the children's faces when they see their father perform for the first time to the goofy nature of his persona, the pictures perfectly capture the feelings and hopes of the characters. Despite the questionable theme, this is a well-told, quickly paced story that most youngsters will find silly; Dad's eccentric behaviors will certainly hold their attention.-Scott La Counte, Anaheim Public Library, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In this humorous reversal of the run-away-with-the-circus plot, Dad joins the show. Mom and kids stay behind--resigned to receiving postcards until Dad comes home and shares his tricks. The simplified features and flat perspective of the art make it somewhat difficult for the reader to become engaged with the characters. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The circus is coming! Dad's swinging from the chandelier in excitement, but young Zach and Audrey just shrug. No biggie--until Dad actually departs with the big top. Modan puts simply drawn cartoon figures in a contemporary, flat-perspective setting, using smudgy colors to reflect the childrens' sadness. Having sent letters from all over the world detailing his experiences, Dad returns at last--and in a climactic gatefold, Zach and Audren are amazed to see their father doing it all, from Ringmaster to clown, from animal tamer to firebreather. Even better, he comes home to stay, and in no time has the whole family leaping and twirling acrobatically. One line of text falls flat, possibly due to poor translation ("According to Mom, getting soaked [by rain] could be hazardous to your health. But Dad said that if you compared it to putting your head in a lion's mouth, it was child's play"), but the tale has an offhand charm that suits the offbeat premise. (Picture book. 7-9) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
