Superdads!

K-Gr 4--The writing and illustrating team who created Supermoms! is back, this time highlighting the amazing dads in the animal kingdom. Presented in a comic-panel format with humorous speech bubble comments by the animals, this is a highly engaging nonfiction read for all ages. The superdads are first shown in shadow outlines so readers can guess which animals will be in the book. Children will enjoy returning to these pages after reading the book to match the shadows. After these outlines of animals, the text covers how some dads help with raising babies, then which ones protect their young, and finally which dads play with their babies to teach them important skills. The book ends with a summary of all the animals covered, giving each one a special name (the giant water bug is "super athletic" because of the pushups he performs to keep oxygen flowing over the eggs he carries on his back). Back matter also includes recommendations of other books, websites, and audiovisual resources. This is not the book to turn to for an animal research project as there is not enough information for each animal, but readers will enjoy learning about a wide variety of animals and how animal dads care for their young. VERDICT Purchase where general animal books circulate well.--Heidi Dechief

In the animal kingdom, some dads are super-involved in parenting. This entertaining companion to Lang and Harper's Supermoms! (2023) uses the same graphic format to introduce 18 animal fathers. Comic strips depict recognizable but stylized animals in their habitats. A brief line of text that tells a very short story explains the male's role ("An owl monkey dad plays follow-the-leader with his young"). Expanding on the text, the illustrations feature sly jokes: The horned owl chicks are less than pleased by the offer of skunk for dinner. The animals make humorous commentary in speech bubbles, much of which will elicit smiles from adult readers. Burying beetles carry a dead mouse singing, "Hi-ho…hi-ho," and a sandgrouse flies off in search of water singing, "Up up and awaaaaaaaay." Organized by task, the book covers male species that incubate eggs, build nests, conceal the vulnerable babies, and feed, protect, and teach their young. The male greater rhea, pictured on the cover, "takes the prize," since he does all the child rearing. Some animals will be familiar (seahorses, wolves), but many may be new, especially to North American children (the mallee fowl, the baya weaver bird). Two concluding pages reintroduce each species with its particular "superpower," notes where each lives, and offers a surprising fast fact. The excellent backmatter is full of recommended books, websites, and other resources. A winning combination of humor and intriguing animal facts. (Informational picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.