Where's Dad hiding? by Ed Allen

cover image

Ill. by Anil Tortop. Scholastic, 2016. ISBN 9781760273859
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Fathers, Father's Day, Family. The little bear searches for his father in all sorts of places. He searches the woods, looks out into the fields, under the water, on the beach, in the bus, on the toy shelf, but he is no where to be seen.
But reading this aloud with a group of children will have them calling out as they can see Dad hiding on each page.
'There he is' will be heard as each page is turned in this funny, involving story of searching for father. The hide and seek game which all children love is reprised within this story as Dad finds ingenious ways of staying hidden. Under the water he is in a clam shell, in the field he is on an electricity line with the birds, on the beach he is hiding in the sand castle. Each page is a delight of suspense and recognition for the reader. They will love searching for the Dad and marveling at how well hidden he is. And they will cheer when he is finally found, but then the next question is, 'Where is mum?'
I love the use of endpapers to show the little bear at first covering his eyes as hide and seek begins, and at the end, showing joy at finding his father.
Fran Knight

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