Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-When a brother and sister want to become super dad surprisers, they must first keep their father in the dark. They disguise this useful how-to guide and hide it among books their dad will not read. He must not see the bright digital artwork showing surprises they can make (pink hearts, a snow-dad, and amazing inventions) and do (reorganizing his stuff, going grocery shopping, and making him laugh) or the especially fine woodland spread with the kids showing him wonders he might not notice (a hidden squirrel, a busy anthill, and high flying geese). Having mastered any day surprises, they advance to special day surprises. They decorate a cake to look like their dad (with chocolate chip cookie ears and crooked candles in the chocolate icing hair) and make him presents (a treasure map, a paper airplane, and coupons for things they can do together). They enlist their mom's help getting everything together and, when necessary, distract their dad with a crazy dance. Then the three of them surprise dad with a birthday party. Young readers wanting their dads to read this book should have him sign a pledge not to remember the surprises. This intimate, humorous book will have children thinking of ways they can pleasantly surprise their own dads.-Mary Jean Smith, formerly at Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Two siblings school readers on the art of being a "super dad surpriser"--both the "any day" and "Special Day" kind. Reagan's know-it-all-child narration never breaks character, while Wildish's winking art depicts the actual dynamic of the well-meaning kids and their anything-but-clueless, good-sport dad. The How to Babysit a Grandpa creators' third how-to has Father's Day read-aloud written all over it. (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The successful team behind How to Babysit a Grandma (2014) returns to create a quick how-to title for those wanting to seriously surprise their father. A brother and sister join efforts with a little help from their mom. The first thing to remember: "To surprise a dad, you have to be tricky." After showing readers how to disguise this book, they then suggest surprises to make ("build a snow-dad" or "invent something amazing just for him"), to do ("get his toothbrush ready" or "reorganize his shoes and hats"), and find by looking "up, down, under and all around." Reagan keeps the text flowing with plans most children would feel confident carrying out, and Wildish adds touches of humor in each of the digitally rendered illustrations. Regular-day surprises are distinguished from "Special Day surprises." When the ante is upped, deciding whom to invite, what treats will be served (spicy chips, smoked oysters, superstinky cheese), and what presents need to be made keep the young planners creatively busy. All the members of this family have dark, wavy hair and dark skina nice change from generic, pink-skinned families. It's an obvious choice for Father's Day, with year-round surprise applicability. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
