What Dads Can't Do - Hardcover

Douglas Wood is the author of A Quiet Place as well as the New York Times bestselling Can’t Do series. His books Old Turtle and Old Turtle and the Broken Truth were both international bestsellers. He lives in a cabin in the woods of Minnesota. A studied naturalist, Douglas shares his knowledge of nature as a wilderness guide. Visit him at DouglasWood.com.

Doug Cushman is best known for his illustrations in the Can't Do series. He created the lovable dinosaur characters you see in this series. He simply can't wait for the next Can't Do book, called What Grandmas Can't Do.

Wood's (Old Turtle) refreshing, spontaneous tale spotlights the rapport between a patient, apparently single father and his all-knowing child. The child narrator, like his dad a green dino in human clothing, shares his insights into the things "that regular people can do but dads can't." Perceptive kids will see that this father is both safety-conscious and one very good sportDand most well-loved kids will nod in recognition as they read how dads "can't cross the street without holding hands" and "can't pitch a baseball very hard or hit one very far." Cushman's (the Aunt Eater mysteries) equally wry watercolor and pen-and-ink art cagily picks up where the narrative leaves off: he illustrates the statement "Dads aren't good at sleeping late" with an image of the youngster pulling the covers off his father while the bedside clock reads 5:05; the father is shown purchasing a toy robot as his son accuses dads of having "trouble holding onto their money"; and at bedtime, the child fearfully pulls his blanket up to his eyes as he notes that dads "like to check under the bed for monsters." This tongue-in-cheek tale ends on a forgivably sugary note: "Most of all, whatever happens, a dad never stops loving you." Just the right blend of sassiness and sentiment. Ages 3-8. (May)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.