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I spy Dad! by Janeen Brian
New Frontier

Reviewed by Kathryn Duncan

The most important thing about a rhyming picture book is that it rhymes well. Thankfully, I spy Dad! rhymes very well. Janeen Brian has written a beautiful story about a little girl wondering where her dad is. The story engagingly adopts the children's game "I spy", as the opening sentence before introducing the reader to many different dads.

The text flows off your tongue with ease and it is encouraging to hear children, including my seven year old, read the book the way good rhyme should be read - pausing in the right spot, rhyme perfectly in place. This is because the book is well written.

Each dad is engaged in the child's life, from sewing and reading to dashing and clapping. Chantal Stewart's illustrations are fun, bright and portray more than the stereotypical father. They fill the pages with child activity and parental love, letting fathers in to the joy of their children which some might say is still missing in today's modern and busy world.

If you need to find a message in I spy Dad!, then you could say it shows the desire of young children to have their dads involved in their daily life and how much fun you can have in doing the simple things.

Hopefully, dads will not only read this to their children, but will join in the activities shown - and maybe mums could join them! I spy Dad! is a picture book that should be sitting on every bookshelf at kinder, the library and definitely at home. Its rhyme is easy remembered and is sure to become a favourite.