Be Glad Your Dad…(Is Not an Octopus!)
Written by Matthew Logelin and Sara Jensen
Illustrated by Jared Chapman
Little, Brown and Company   5/03/2016
978-0-316-25438-0
36 pages    Ages 3—6

“BE GLAD YOUR DAD . . .
is not a dog, because he would lick your face to say hello!

“Most of the time, you’re glad your dad is your dad . . . until he gets grouchy, bossy, or just totally gross. Then you wish you could swap him for something else. But be careful what you wish for, because it could be way worse . . . ” [inside jacket]

Review
Dads can be loads of fun. You’re outside on a snowy sunny day, swimming in the pool, and dad throws you high up so you land with a “SPLASH!” spraying your nerdy little brother. Dad might coach your baseball team and never yell at you! Maybe, he always orders double-pepperoni pizza on mom’s bowling night, instead of making you eat her surprise casserole.

 

But then . . . sometimes dad is a pain in the butt. You’re playing a video game, just about to destroy the elusive mastermind, and dad insists you take the garbage out, “Now!” Maybe he calls you, “His little girl” in front of the boy you like. Ugh, so embarrassing. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a different dad right then? You betcha! If your dad was a dog, he sure wouldn’t make you take the garbage out or call you his little girl . . . but he will lick your face whenever (and wherever) he sees you, just to say hello.

Be Glad Your Dad . . . (Is Not an Octopus!) is a humorous “what if” book, replacing “what if” with the line, “Be glad your dad is not a . . .” For example,

“Be glad your dad is not a TORTOISE, because  e v e r y t h I n g   w o u l d   t a k e   f   o   r   e   v   e   r.”
“Be glad your dad is not an OCTOPUS, because he would always win at tag.”

Young kids will love Be Glad Your Dad . . . for the outrageous dad possibilities. The idea of dad being something other than human will definitely tickle kids’ funny bones. The premise fits their young, completely intact imaginations. To increase the enjoyment and the volume of the giggles, have dad do the reading, momentarily turning into the suggested animal. Be Glad Your Dad . . . is the perfect role-playing picture book.

The digital illustrations humorously depict the authors’ “dad possibilities” with precision, placing the brother and sister in quirky and often wildly funny situations. These kids’ dad wears red glasses, so every animal they think dad might become also wears red glasses. For the nocturnal owl, the glasses fit the role, but the extinct dinosaur looks silly wearing those over-sized, round, red glasses. In keeping with current science and knowledge, the kids don’t wish their dad could be a dinosaur—they are extinct (dinosaurs, that is), therefore dad would be just a collection of wired together bones, but with red glasses.

Each spread has a brightly colored solid background. The text often becomes part of the joke, such as the above tortoise, who trails the contents of an ice cream cone all the way from container to child. The boy and girl are cute, if you can overlook their noses. For some reason, Chapman gave the pair pig-shaped and pig-colored noses. Non-essential details, such as a refrigerator or a swimming pool, Chapman simply outlined in black. This makes your eye focus on the main image in each spread.

The message is clear in Be Glad Your Dad . . . (Is Not an Octopus!) Early in the book are these words to live by:

“But be careful what you wish for because it could be way worse . . .”

Additional information about each featured animal makes up the back matter. These bits of information will delight kids. The author explains why the sixteen animals (dog, owl, iguana, skunk, tortoise, peacock, snake, alligator, bee, dung beetle, whale, dinosaur, monkey, octopus, unicorn, and quail), would make worse dads than the dad you already have.

“WHY ARE TORTOISES SO SLOW?
“Many scientists believe that tortoises are super slow because they don’t have to chase their food (they’re herbivores, which means they eat plants) . . .

“WHY WOULD AN OCTOPUS WIN EVERY GAME OF TAG?
“An octopus has eight arms. (And it is probably smarter than you.)”

Be Glad Your Dad . . . (Is Not an Octopus!) will become a favorite of young children and possibly the right gift from the kids to dad. Dad would receive a quirky picture book (with dads in the starring role), and future time with his children. Together, they will read, laugh, and have fun—memories in the making. Books can do that; make memories. Storytime with dad and Be Glad Your Dad . . . (Is Not an Octopus!) (a tribute to dads), will become a family favorite until . . . Be Glad Your Mom . . . Is Not a? (You fill in the missing word).

Be Glad Your Dad . . . (Is Not an Octopus!) is Matthew Logelin and Sara Jensen’s debut picture book.

BE GLAD YOUR DAD . . . (IS NOT AN OCTOPUS!) Text copyright © 2016 by Matthew Logelin and Sara Jensen. Illustrations copyright © 2016 by Jared Chapman. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Little, Brown and Company, New York, NY.

Amazon—Book Depository—Indie Books—Apple Books—Little, Brown and Co.

Find Be Glad Your Dad . . .(Is Not an Octopus!) on Goodreads HERE.

Matthew Logelin:
Follow on Twitter         @mattlogelin

Sara Jensen:  https://www.instagram.com/sarabeejensen/
Follow on Twitter          @sarajensen

Jared Chapman:  http://jaredchapman.tumblr.com/
Follow on Twitter          @jaredchapman

Little, Brown and Company:  http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/publishers/little-brown-books-young-readers/
Follow on Twitter         @HachetteKids

Little, Brown and Company is a division of Hachette Book Group.

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Reprinted with permission from BE GLAD YOUR DAD . . . IS NOT AN OCTOPUS! © 2016 by Matthew Logelin & Sara Jensen, Little, Brown & Co., a division of Hachette Book Group, Illustrations © 2016 by Jared Chapman.

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Copyright © 2016 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews. All Rights Reserved

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Full Disclosure: Be Glad Your Dad . . .(Is Not an Octopus!) by Matthew Logelin and Sara Jensen & Jared Chapman, and received from Little, Brown and Company, (a division of Hachette Book Group), is in exchange NOT for a positive review, but for an HONEST review. The opinions expressed are my own and no one else’s. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Be Glad Your Dad . . . (Is Not an Octopus!)
Written by Matthew Logelin and Sara Jensen
Illustrated by Jared Chapman
Little, Brown and Company 5/03/2016
9780316254380