Horn Book (Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Freelon's (Daddy-Daughter Day) quiet picture book tells of an African American father and son on a camping trip. The two wake up in their tent on a chilly morning and walk to the lake. They catch big-mouth bass that they grill for dinner, then roast marshmallows and catch fireflies under the night sky. Throughout the day, they remember Pop-Pop, the boy's late grandfather, who took the boy's father to the same camping spot when he was a child. Fisher punctuates scenes in the present with flashbacks showing the boy's father enjoying similar outdoor experiences with Pop-Pop, the past indicated by lines of wind and swirling leaves. The boy admits in a whisper, "I miss Pop-Pop," and the dad replies, "We feel what we feel. It's okay to let it out." Fisher's digital illustrations capture the closeness of this family as they express their love for each other and the outdoors. A very welcome addition to the growing number of children's books about Black families enjoying nature.

Kirkus Reviews

A father and child bond while camping.The two awaken in their tent on a chilly morning in the woods. The young narrator is cold, but Daddy says they'll warm up as they start walking. As the pair hike past trees and over rocks, then bait their hooks and cast their lines, it becomes apparent that Daddy is retracing the path he and his late father, Pop-Pop, once took, re-creating the same moments of wonder and awe. The child ponders: "Are we looking under the same rocks? Weaving through the same trails? Resting beneath the same magnolia tree as we sit still, listen, and breathe?" The narrator becomes overwhelmed with emotion over the loss of Pop-Pop, but Daddy says that he feels the same way and lets the protagonist know that showing emotion is OK-a valuable lesson for young readers coping with grief. This potent, poetic story is complemented by Fisher's art, which blends soft colors and is full of movement and captures the characters' expressions. Fisher has a delicate touch, conveying the small pleasures of the great outdoors as well as the importance of giving oneself permission to sit with sadness. Daddy and the child are brown-skinned, while Pop-Pop, seen in flashback, is lighter-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)Tender and affirming. (Picture book. 5-8)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Freelon explores memory and intergenerational relationships in this quiet story about a brown-skinned duo-s fishing trip, which prompts remembrances of a late loved one. Opening with the father/son pair side by side in a tent in the woods, nature-filled storytelling establishes a contemplative tone with a reminiscence from Daddy: -I had fun here when I was your age. Your pop-pop and me.- But -now it-s our turn,- and Fisher-s soft-edged digital renderings follow present woodland explorations shown occurring alongside those from the past. The memories continue as father and son fish, hike, and meditate, taking comfort in each other as -together we remember Pop-Pop-s curious mind, Pop-Pop-s gentle smile- and share their feelings: -It-s okay to let it out.- The creators move with this sensitive outdoors portrait of the way bonds endure across time and memory. Ages 4-8. (May)

School Library Journal (Wed Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2023)

PreS-Gr 2— A father and child on a camping trip in the woods create a deep sense of connection with each other and nature. Fisher's digital artwork cleverly frames the story right from the front-end papers, which offer a bird's-eye view of the treetops accentuating the vastness of the forest and the beauty of the outdoors. A lone car on the road suggests that the experience will be intimate. As Daddy and child hike, cross bridges, fish, and enjoy the evening fireflies, visual and textual clues suggest that shared family traditions are being passed down from Pop-Pop to Daddy, and then Daddy to child. Written in first person from the perspective of an inquisitive child, the tone is meditative, and the pacing is leisurely. The child wonders whether they are potentially traversing the same spaces and feeling the same appreciation for the surroundings that Pop-Pop and Daddy did on previous trips. Softly defined artwork enhances the sense of calm and belonging. A swirling leaf design motif running throughout lends a magical quality to the forest, and a brief scene alludes to grief and loss, acknowledging the missing grandfather, and normalizing feeling sad about that loss. All family members are Black, and in text and in illustration, the child is not specifically gendered, allowing for an inclusive interpretation. VERDICT A recommended purchase for sharing one-on-one, with a generational continuity camping theme and as a gentle treatment for addressing loss of a grandparent.— Eva Thaler-Sroussi