Book Review of My Dad, My Rock
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The Children’s Book Review

Written by Victor Dias de Oliveira Santos

Illustrated by Anna Forlati

Ages 4-8 | 32 Pages | Publisher: Linguacious

ISBN-13: 9781649621313 (hardcover)

ISBN-13: 9781649621221 (paperback)

What to Expect: Family, memory, self-sufficiency, generations.

Oliver has never met his grandfather, but he knows that if they ever did meet, he’d want to tell Grandpa all about a really amazing person – his dad, Grandpa’s son! Grandpa never met Dad either, but Oliver is sure he would have been proud of what a great dad he is. From teaching him how to stop being mad, to believing in him and protecting him from harm, Oliver’s dad is the rock he knows he can depend on for anything. And when Dad is a grandpa, Oliver wants to be just as good a dad as Dad is!

Not everyone grows up with a dad or a grandpa in their family, but memory and imagination are good ways to connect with those who are not in our lives – and with those who are. This heartwarming ode to fatherhood uses simple language and concepts to celebrate the special relationships dads share with their children, from the point of view of the child reader. Lovely, muted pencil illustrations in soft shades add a dream-like quality to the story, helping to underscore the theme of memory and continuity that runs throughout the narrative.

My Dad, My Rock is a delightful book for sharing, and perfect for Father’s Day.

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About the Author

Victor Santos is the Latino, Iowa-based author of the multi-award-winning Little Polyglot Adventures series and a father to two trilingual, multicultural, and grandfatherless children. His books aim to inspire, warm the heart, and help raise loving adults, with a healthy self-image. My Dad My, Rock was inspired by a question Victor’s 5-year-old son asked him one night during bedtime, which can be seen on the first page of the book. 

About the Illustrator

Anna Forlati is an Italian illustrator and is a professor of illustration in the prestigious illustration program Ars in Fabula, Italy. She has illustrated over 30 children’s picture books and has participated in several international exhibitions, including The Illustrators Exhibition at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair (2014) and Illustrarte (2018). In 2018, she was the winner of the City of Chiavari Award for best illustration in a children’s magazine.

Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. This is a sponsored, non-biased review of My Dad, My Rock. Learn more about getting a book review …