Molly and her Dad by Jan Ormerod; Illustrated by Carol Thompson (Roaring Book Press, 2008)
I hate to admit it but the only thing I liked about this book was the illustrations. I was really hoping from the title that this book would be about a stay-at-home Dad watching over his daughter. NOT AT ALL!!!
Molly lives with her mother and has not seen her Dad since she was a baby. She often dreams of what he would be like. What does he do for a living? Am I anything like him? All very valid questions that she deserves the answers too. However, she is constantly lying and making up stories of what her father is like to please her friends at school. Miraculously one day, Molly's mother has to go out of town for a week and, viola! her Dad shows up to take care of her. Why on God's green earth would her mother allow for this to happen. This man has never shown an ounce of interest in your child and now you are allowing him to spend a whole week with her? Seems a little far fetched if you ask me. The book is filled with all sorts of warm and fuzzies as Molly and her Dad start to see just how alike they are. But low and behold and the end of the week her Dad is on the first plane out of town. This message worries me a little.
I infer from this book that Molly ends their week together longing for a closer relationship to her father and he decides to leave. Way to get her hopes up. Now I have not not recommended a lot of books this semester but this is one I would caution using. You must really know your students and their family situation before you read this book in your classroom.
Intended audience: Preschool through Grade 2
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