Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
My Father Knows the Names of Things
Illustrator: Stephane Jorisch
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Simon and Schuster, 2010 ISBN: 978-1416948957
Dads are great for all kinds of reasons. They read to their children, they take them for bike rides and to the park. They teach their children how to swim, how to hit a ball, how to add big numbers, and how to fix a broken toy. A lot of dads also teach their children the names of things - lots of things.
In this book we meet one little boy whose father teaches his son the names of all kinds of things. The father knows the names of insects that sting, tall flowers, human bones, “which dinosaurs are meanest,” and “seven words that all mean blue.” Together the father and son explore the world and share countless special times.
This wonderfully lyrical picture book with its deliciously quirky illustrations serves as splendid tribute to all those dads who take the time to teach their children about the world around them. Though the facts they share might not be important in the big scheme of things, for the child the time they spend together is priceless.
