MWSA Review

my daddy is a sailor is an excellent book to share with the young children of deploying sailors.  It uses clear, rhythmic language to define to young children what sailors do in a way that will make the children proud of their parent.

I especially liked the way Tahna Desmond Fox paid tribute to fallen sailors from the copyright year, using almost an ""Easter-egg"" technique to recognize the sailors lost in the USS MCCAIN and USS FITZGERALD accidents, as well as a C-2 Greyhound mishap.  It's very appropriate, and serves as a reminder to all the sense of sacrifice that goes with service, without being at all morbid or ""dark.""

The illustrations are clean and support the story, and it will resound with any child who has a Daddy getting ready to ship out.  Similar to MY SAILOR DAD by Ross Mackenzie, this is a necessary work to help children understand why Daddy has to be gone.  Well done to the author.

Review by Rob Ballister (March 20118)

Author's Synopsis

Learn the words Daddy knows about his ship and where he goes, in the Navy. Daddy is a sailor in the United States Navy. Learn the words Daddy knows about his ship and his mates. Join Ollie the Octopus and travel with Daddy as he sails on every sea in a great, big ship, watch what he does on board, and see the sights he sees. Due to the naval tragedies that occurred while creating this book in 2017, I paid tribute to our fallen sailors aboard the USS John S. McCain (DDG-56), the USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), and the C-2A Greyhound (VRC 30). Each lost sailor is represented by a golden bird in flight or a star in the heavens, signifying they have passed from this world but their memories remain. My heart and love go out to the families, friends, and loved ones of these twenty sailors, and every sailor who never made it home.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-938505-34-8
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover
Genre(s): Picture Book
Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Picture Book
Number of Pages: 38