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Book Dads
, November 23, 2009
(view all comments by Book Dads)
Hey, Daddy! is a book about animal fathers that is appropriate for younger readers who want to know more about this fascinating topic. This nonfiction picture book is at an intermediate level between an adult book on the subject like The Emperor’s Embrace , which discusses fatherhood throughout the animal kingdom in scientific detail, and a book for even younger children like The Very Best Daddy of All , which focuses on the love and devotion that animal fathers feel towards their offspring.
Hey, Daddy! surveys animal fathers from birds to amphibians to mammals and even insects, devoting at least a page to each animal that discusses not only their parenting but also the animal’s habitat, diet, and more. All of the “stars” of animal fatherhood are included here, such as the Emperor penguin and the seahorse. But lesser-known animal fathers are also described, such as the giant waterbug who carries a hundred or more eggs stuck to his back until they hatch. And unlike other children’s books on this topic, Hey, Daddy! also frankly discusses several species in which caring for the young is solely the province of the male rather than the female. These include birds such as the mallee fowl and the phalarope, in which the female lays the eggs but takes no part in caring for them or for the chicks.
While this is a nonfiction book, the tone is never too dry and interesting facts about each animal are used to keep young readers engaged. The illustrations are both lifelike and beautiful, and worthy of any natural history text. Hey, Daddy! is the perfect book for older children who are ready to learn more about the many examples of animal fathers in a way that is both informative and engaging.
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