Pop's Perfect Present

by Corey Finkle, Lenny Wen (Illustrator)

Overview

A heartwarming and playful celebration of a little girl's love for her father as she tries to give him the best day ever.

The best dad ever deserves the best day ever. When a young girl tries to find the perfect present for her pop, her best intentions go awry. The fishing trip is a flop, baseball is a bust, and making chili is a mistake. Nothing works out the way she wants it to. But it turns out, the best gift of all could be a day spent together.

With a classic knack for rhythm and rhyme and a great sense of humor, Pop’s Perfect Present is the answer to any gift-giving dilemma for dads.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250819444
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	05/09/2023
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,012,652
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD530L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Corey Finkle is an author and creative director whose perfect day with his kids would include baking, baseball, and board games. He is the author of Your Future is Bright. Originally from Gloversville, New York, he currently lives in Providence, Rhode Island with his family.

Lenny Wen is an author/illustrator who was born in Indonesia. She is the illustrator of several picture books, such as Cal Everett’s Halloween is Coming and Amy Robach’s Better Together. Lenny currently lives in Austria. When she is not illustrating or writing, you might find her staring at the trees, contemplating story ideas, reading books, filling up her cup with coffee, or hugging her dog.

Editorial Reviews

"...this tender tale makes clear spending time together is what matters most" - Kirkus Review

From the Publisher

03/24/2023

K-Gr 3—A young girl decides she wants to give her father a present, but, "It had to be awesome and perfect. Like him." She decides that the best present would be to plan the perfect day where the two of them do something that her dad loves. They try fishing, playing baseball, making chili, writing music, riding bikes, and flying kites, but nothing goes the way she wants. She feels "abashed and ashamed" that the day is a failure. Of course, her Pop explains that getting to do all of these things with her that day made it "the best one that I've ever had!" The story is sweet, has adorable illustrations, and communicates a nice lesson for dads and children. The mother does not appear in the text or the illustrations, which is a welcome variation that will allow children who live with their fathers or who split time between parents to relate to the child-father relationship in the story. The main character has blonde hair, large purple glasses, and freckles; her father and other people depicted reflect a diverse community. VERDICT Children will be drawn to the rhyming text, and the illustrations create an environment that most students will be able to connect with; however, the book's theme lacks uniqueness or significance. A "like to have" title rather than a "must-have" one.—Peggy Henderson Murphy

School Library Journal

2023-02-25
A rhyming recounting of a child’s efforts to coordinate a day of fun with her dad.

A light-skinned young girl introduces her brown-skinned dad as “the best,” adding that “when somebody meets him, they’re always impressed.” An image of Pop balancing a cellphone between ear and shoulder while shopping bags topple to the sidewalk suggests that the narrator might just have an idealized view of her father. As the narrator describes how Pop helps with homework and bandages her scrapes, the visuals show him flailing but always doing his best. The child wants to thank Pop, so she plans a day filled with fun, but nothing goes right. They go fishing but don’t catch anything; their baseball game ends when the child can’t hit a single ball; and their attempt at forming a band falls flat. The child is dejected, but Pop reassures her that he’s enjoyed every minute, because “I got to do all this with YOU!” Softly edged illustrations in bright, warm tones evoke the gentle joy of the relationship. Much like Oge Mora’s Saturday (2019), this tender tale makes clear spending time together is what matters most—not how many home runs or high notes you hit. This can be a hard lesson to pick up, so another picture book with this message is most welcome, especially one centering a loving father-daughter relationship. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A much-needed reminder to embrace the imperfections. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews