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Mighty Dads
A new constructacular picture book from the New York Times bestselling creator of Pete the Cat, James Dean and bestselling author, Joan Holub. Mighty dads, strong and tall,help their children, young and small.They keep them safe and bolted tightand show them how to build things right.Inventively told through James Dean's colorful construction vehicle characters, MIGHTY DADS is an adoring dedication to hardworking fathers and the subtle ways they teach their boys and girls to follow in their tracks. The Dump Trucks learn to get dirty. Crane keeps his little one safe from harm. The busy Cement Mixer gives his daughter a hug. The Forklift cheers his son on.A surprising and touching view of a father's love for his children, MIGHTY DADS is the perfect way to I'm proud of you!
40 pages, Hardcover
First published April 29, 2014
About the author
Joan Holub
329 books1,226 followersNY Times bestselling children's book author:
GODDESS GIRLS series + HEROES IN TRAINING series (w Suzanne Williams); THIS LITTLE TRAILBLAZER a Girl Power Primer; ZERO THE HERO; I AM THE SHARK. Lucky to be doing what I love!
GODDESS GIRLS series + HEROES IN TRAINING series (w Suzanne Williams); THIS LITTLE TRAILBLAZER a Girl Power Primer; ZERO THE HERO; I AM THE SHARK. Lucky to be doing what I love!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
October 17, 2019
With rhyming text and colorful artwork, author Joan Holub and illustrator James Dean - creator of the popular
Pete the Cat
books - create a picture-book tribute to fathers and the love and guidance they offer their children. The Dads here are construction vehicles, and each one shows his offspring the task they perform, giving support and praise in the process...
For young children who have enjoyed such bedtime books as Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site or Steam Train, Dream Train , Mighty Dads will be a welcome addition to the picture-book library. There's rhymes a-plenty to listen to, and lots of brightly colored construction vehicles at which to look, making this both a visual and auditory pleasure. I don't know that I found it all that appealing - I'm not really a construction-site enthusiast myself - but for the target audience it is sure to be a hit.
For young children who have enjoyed such bedtime books as Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site or Steam Train, Dream Train , Mighty Dads will be a welcome addition to the picture-book library. There's rhymes a-plenty to listen to, and lots of brightly colored construction vehicles at which to look, making this both a visual and auditory pleasure. I don't know that I found it all that appealing - I'm not really a construction-site enthusiast myself - but for the target audience it is sure to be a hit.
June 3, 2014
Mighty Dads is a bright and lively tale filled with movement and sounds that will delight little ones.
As the construction vehicle dads dig, scoop, roar, and roll they teach and encourage their children. The repetitive use of sound and motion words will inspire children to read along. Mighty Dads is a charming story that uses simple rhyme and vibrant illustrations to express love.
I highly recommend picking up a copy of Mighty Dads. A perfect story for Father's Day.
As the construction vehicle dads dig, scoop, roar, and roll they teach and encourage their children. The repetitive use of sound and motion words will inspire children to read along. Mighty Dads is a charming story that uses simple rhyme and vibrant illustrations to express love.
I highly recommend picking up a copy of Mighty Dads. A perfect story for Father's Day.
June 2, 2022
Rating: 5 leaves out of 5
Characters: 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Story: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Genre: Children
Type: Book
Worth?: Yeah
Characters: 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Story: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Genre: Children
Type: Book
Worth?: Yeah
September 23, 2015
wonderfully delivers the transcendent message from dad to son of "I'm proud of you."
May 8, 2014
Mighty Dads pays hommage to those wonderful Dads out there who teach their youngsters how to do so many things. Featuring a crew of construction vehicles such as an excavator, a grader, a cement mixer, bulldozer, a crane and many more, the big Daddies are paired up with their tiny children who imitate them as they excavate, grade, mix, lift, roll, and so on. Children will delight in seeing these miniature construction vehicles achieving small successes side-by-side with their heroes.
Reading Mighty Dads put a smile on my face. With Father’s Day just around the corner, I can see Mighty Dads being a great choice as a feel-good picture book featuring Dads. On one level, we all know that children (and adults) are fascinated by construction vehicles and this book gives us a short tour of many different types as well as a short description of their function. While it may be a bit stereotypical to associate the construction industry with Dads, I was pleased to see that, aside from the dump truck which is clearly labeled “Big Daddy and Son Trucking” and perhaps a reference to “Junior” with the crane, the “offspring” of the Dads were genderless. There is no indication of gender for the majority of mini-vehicles. This one is to be shared between Dads and their sons OR daughters.
Each two-page spread features a father-child team of one type of construction vehicle. Each vehicle has a big version and a miniaturized version, all anthropomorphized in James Dean’s distinctive groovy style and described in rhyming verse by Joan Holub. I loved how so many different vehicles were featured (ten in all) and there was even one I had never heard of: a boom truck, which of course I had seen before but never knew what it was called. There is definitely lots for young children to learn about construction vehicles in this book. I also loved the inclusion of the sound effects or other repetitive phrases that go hand-in-hand with the particular vehicle (e.g., Excavator Big goes “scoop, scoop, scoop”; Crane Long Arm goes “reach, reach, reach”). Young children will enjoy imitating these actions.
The illustrations by James Dean use bright bold colors often found on contruction sites: yellows, blues, greens, and reds. I liked the simplicity in depicting the Dad-child teams of vehicles engaged in their primary function. It was adorable to see the tiny vehicles mimicking their Dad or even helping their Dad and achieving a fraction of what the bigger vehicle can achieve. For example, we see the big Dump Truck Sturdy dumping a big pile of dirt and the tiny Dumpy dumping out a tiny pile of dirt beside the massive one. My son and daughter had lots of “awwww’s” reading this one!
My Bottom Line:
Mighty Dads is a feel-good picture book featuring bright and bold illustrations by James Dean (Pete the Cat) and simple but effective rhyming text by Joan Holub, (Goddess Girls, Little Red Writing). Young children will enjoy learning about the different types of construction vehicles, imitating their actions, and flipping through the pages seeing how the mini-versions work alongside their proud Dads. I highly recommend this book as one to be shared between Dads and their children, or to be read to a preschool or early elementary school classroom, or library reading circles. Ages 2 to 6.
Reading Mighty Dads put a smile on my face. With Father’s Day just around the corner, I can see Mighty Dads being a great choice as a feel-good picture book featuring Dads. On one level, we all know that children (and adults) are fascinated by construction vehicles and this book gives us a short tour of many different types as well as a short description of their function. While it may be a bit stereotypical to associate the construction industry with Dads, I was pleased to see that, aside from the dump truck which is clearly labeled “Big Daddy and Son Trucking” and perhaps a reference to “Junior” with the crane, the “offspring” of the Dads were genderless. There is no indication of gender for the majority of mini-vehicles. This one is to be shared between Dads and their sons OR daughters.
Each two-page spread features a father-child team of one type of construction vehicle. Each vehicle has a big version and a miniaturized version, all anthropomorphized in James Dean’s distinctive groovy style and described in rhyming verse by Joan Holub. I loved how so many different vehicles were featured (ten in all) and there was even one I had never heard of: a boom truck, which of course I had seen before but never knew what it was called. There is definitely lots for young children to learn about construction vehicles in this book. I also loved the inclusion of the sound effects or other repetitive phrases that go hand-in-hand with the particular vehicle (e.g., Excavator Big goes “scoop, scoop, scoop”; Crane Long Arm goes “reach, reach, reach”). Young children will enjoy imitating these actions.
The illustrations by James Dean use bright bold colors often found on contruction sites: yellows, blues, greens, and reds. I liked the simplicity in depicting the Dad-child teams of vehicles engaged in their primary function. It was adorable to see the tiny vehicles mimicking their Dad or even helping their Dad and achieving a fraction of what the bigger vehicle can achieve. For example, we see the big Dump Truck Sturdy dumping a big pile of dirt and the tiny Dumpy dumping out a tiny pile of dirt beside the massive one. My son and daughter had lots of “awwww’s” reading this one!
My Bottom Line:
Mighty Dads is a feel-good picture book featuring bright and bold illustrations by James Dean (Pete the Cat) and simple but effective rhyming text by Joan Holub, (Goddess Girls, Little Red Writing). Young children will enjoy learning about the different types of construction vehicles, imitating their actions, and flipping through the pages seeing how the mini-versions work alongside their proud Dads. I highly recommend this book as one to be shared between Dads and their children, or to be read to a preschool or early elementary school classroom, or library reading circles. Ages 2 to 6.
June 6, 2014
Mighty Dads just might be one of my favorite picture books I have read with my girls in a long time. The story is playful and engaging, and the illustrations are exceptional. The author and illustrator pairing of Joan Holub and James Dean is absolutely brilliant. James Dean brings the magic of his illustrations from Pete the Cat to this picture book, and Joan Holub uses simple words and repetition to draw even the youngest readers into the story. My youngest daughter has absolutely fallen in love with this book, reading it repeatedly saying "Dadda Truck, Baby Truck" as she points to each truck.
On its own, this book is a great read. But, the fact that it is about dads being great role models for their kids makes Mighty Dads a must have book for children to read with their dads. My husband enjoyed reading it with our daughters. He pointed out how, despite all the books in our house, there are so few about dads and their kids. We enjoyed each delightful page, taking time to talk about how each daddy truck was helping teach their baby truck how to do their jobs. This book will make a perfect father's day gift or a baby shower gift for a soon-to-be dad. Mighty Dads is destined to be an instant classic.
* I was given this book free-of-charge by the author in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.
On its own, this book is a great read. But, the fact that it is about dads being great role models for their kids makes Mighty Dads a must have book for children to read with their dads. My husband enjoyed reading it with our daughters. He pointed out how, despite all the books in our house, there are so few about dads and their kids. We enjoyed each delightful page, taking time to talk about how each daddy truck was helping teach their baby truck how to do their jobs. This book will make a perfect father's day gift or a baby shower gift for a soon-to-be dad. Mighty Dads is destined to be an instant classic.
* I was given this book free-of-charge by the author in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 9, 2016
There isn't an author/illustrator combination that I've been this excited to see in a long time. Joan Holub is a wonderful children's author, and of course, James Dean is nothing short of amazing. His illustrations are perfect for children's books. Big, bold chunks of color give life to his wobbly, carefree drawings. I think kids like his art so much because it almost looks like something they could create. I love his artwork. It's simple and uncomplicated, yet it's vibrant and full of a unique personality that's distinctly James Dean.
The writing is so also simple, with the same concept repeated on most pages. The words work with the art really well and young kids will like the repeating rhythm. It's written in rhyme, which is wonderful when it's done right (and this book is). There are just a few lines on each page and the book moves along at a nice pace so kids won't get squirmy. It's a very sweet book about dads and the importance of a father in a child's life.
This is a great addition to the small (but growing!) number of books about amazing dads.
Source: The author sent me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My blog: Batch of Books
The writing is so also simple, with the same concept repeated on most pages. The words work with the art really well and young kids will like the repeating rhythm. It's written in rhyme, which is wonderful when it's done right (and this book is). There are just a few lines on each page and the book moves along at a nice pace so kids won't get squirmy. It's a very sweet book about dads and the importance of a father in a child's life.
This is a great addition to the small (but growing!) number of books about amazing dads.
Source: The author sent me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My blog: Batch of Books
June 5, 2014
I absolutely adored this book! First of all, the pictures from illustrator, James Dean, were bright, colorful, and bold. I loved how he made the "children" tiny but obviously worked hard while helping their "dad".
The author, Joan Holub, made each page a semi-rhyme...no pun intended...and had the action in bold letters. I could hear many children imitating the sounds as I read. In fact, each page made me smile right on into the next page.
I also liked the fact that the little ones did the same work as the "dads" but in smaller scale. Yet, "dads" kept encouraging each to do their best and keep going which would ultimately result in work well done.
As it is now heading into Father's Day at the time of my review, this is the perfect book for Dad's to read and share with their children. For that matter, to share any time! This book is a winner!
5 stars!
Disclosure:I received a copy of this book in exchange for my open and honest opinion. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours.
The author, Joan Holub, made each page a semi-rhyme...no pun intended...and had the action in bold letters. I could hear many children imitating the sounds as I read. In fact, each page made me smile right on into the next page.
I also liked the fact that the little ones did the same work as the "dads" but in smaller scale. Yet, "dads" kept encouraging each to do their best and keep going which would ultimately result in work well done.
As it is now heading into Father's Day at the time of my review, this is the perfect book for Dad's to read and share with their children. For that matter, to share any time! This book is a winner!
5 stars!
Disclosure:I received a copy of this book in exchange for my open and honest opinion. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours.
September 30, 2015
{My Thoughts} – I always love exploring new children’s books. This one was no exception. It is nicely written in a poem form. The illustrations match the poem nicely. The title basically tells it all, it’s a book about fathers and children. The love a child has for their father and the love a father has for their child. The illustrations help to portray that love. The poem helps to show that the fathers love when their children help them create things. It also shows that the father is okay with his child being a child and has no problem praising them when they do something right. One day they make one project and then as they are picking up and leaving the father suggests they make something new together another day. It is what your would expect a father child relationship to be.
It always reminds me of a poem I’d written many years ago for a school project about a fathers love for his daughter. it’s very nice, very nice indeed. :}
All and all it is a wonderfully written book for younger children. I truly enjoyed having the opportunity to review it.
It always reminds me of a poem I’d written many years ago for a school project about a fathers love for his daughter. it’s very nice, very nice indeed. :}
All and all it is a wonderfully written book for younger children. I truly enjoyed having the opportunity to review it.
June 15, 2014
A great read for kids who love trucks, tractors, and learning what they do. Mighty Dads is a story about what the Daddy trucks and tractors do and how they teach their little truck and tractor kids. With no human characters in this story, little fans of trucks and tractors will enjoy the brightly primary colored characters, and the repetitiveness of the story. Mighty Dads is a is a fun read for young kids. It teaches a valuable message of a father's love, and how they teach their kids. This is one of those books that I wish I had when my son was young. He would have loved everything about this book. This is definitely one worth picking up. It's one fans of trucks and tractors will love reading, and looking at the simplistic pictures that easily capture a young readers attention.
http://mundiekids.blogspot.com/2014/0...
http://mundiekids.blogspot.com/2014/0...
May 13, 2014
Repetitive patterns and onomatopoeia fill the text of Mighty Dads. A book with no human characters, every child can appreciate the idea of having a strong, loving dad who teaches his children all of the skills that he knows.
Illustrated in primary colors with a sky blue sky, the pages are bright and bold with white ghost shadows and fine detail lines in the tires and at the skyline.
Newly released this fun and simple book will please any young fan of construction equipment and is out just in time for Father’s Day!
*Thank you Scholastic Press for providing an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book.”
This book was released on April 24, 2014.
Illustrated in primary colors with a sky blue sky, the pages are bright and bold with white ghost shadows and fine detail lines in the tires and at the skyline.
Newly released this fun and simple book will please any young fan of construction equipment and is out just in time for Father’s Day!
*Thank you Scholastic Press for providing an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book.”
This book was released on April 24, 2014.
July 13, 2014
Using a construction-zone theme, this picture book explores the relationships between fathers and their children. For example, Big Excavator helps his child while they dig, Big Bulldozer shows his child right from wrong as they scoop, and Big Crane keeps his child safe as they reach up high.
With its large font; simple concepts; bold illustrations; array of building site equipment; and emphasis on parent-child relationships, this one seems perfectly geared for very young construction-lovers. The action makes it interesting for daytime reading, but the restful ending helps it work for before naps and bedtime as well.
With its large font; simple concepts; bold illustrations; array of building site equipment; and emphasis on parent-child relationships, this one seems perfectly geared for very young construction-lovers. The action makes it interesting for daytime reading, but the restful ending helps it work for before naps and bedtime as well.
August 13, 2014
With big and bold illustrations this is a very creative version of a construction vehicle book. The illustrations of ten different construction vehicles, show a large version (Daddy) followed by a smaller likeness (son). My story time audience was mesmerized by the pictures. Simple rhyming text makes this a fun read-aloud. Even the youngest in my story time audience loved this book.
February 18, 2015
Creatively told through colorful construction vehicle characters, this is a wonderful portrayal of hardworking fathers and the subtle ways they teach their children to follow in their tracks. A perfect story for all truck lovers and proud dads.
Reviewer 18
Reviewer 18
August 30, 2015
Fun assortment of trucks and nice to have a dad book--also appears the kid trucks could be boys or girls so that's nice. The story just doesn't flow that well for my taste. Plus, some of the kid truck names work better (Dozy, Mixie) than others (Hoe-Hoe).
March 24, 2016
Mighty Dads
by Joan Holub
Mighty dads strong and small taught their sons to be artist and engineers.Dad explained about the internal combustion engines. He inspired his son . The book is involving and age appropriate. The teaches children how much they can learn from their parents.
by Joan Holub
Mighty dads strong and small taught their sons to be artist and engineers.Dad explained about the internal combustion engines. He inspired his son . The book is involving and age appropriate. The teaches children how much they can learn from their parents.
January 23, 2022
Colors are reminiscent of Pete the Cat, only turned heavy construction equipment. What a fun change! Plus great use of vocabulary and word play.
June 4, 2014
I'll have to do a construction storytime one of these days...
June 11, 2014
Endearing homage to dads featuring bright, bold, energetic illustrations. Great for little readers who adore dads and/ or big rigs.
May 14, 2015
Great book that celebrates Dad's!!!
December 18, 2017
This very cute book was sitting out at a restaurant. It’s a book celebrating dad’s and sons through construction vehicles. My son loved it! And even though it was definitely stereotypical art and stuff, the things it talked about dad’s doing for their sons was wide-ranging. Hugs, teaching, building with, protecting, etc. It was very sweet.
August 20, 2019
You'd need to shorten this by paper clipping a few pages together for the toddlers, but it's appropriate for toddlers or preschoolers. Dad's love their kids and show them how to do all kinds of fun things. You could really get the kids into it by having them imitate the digging, rolling, lifting, dumping, etc. along with the various trucks in the book. A solid story time choice.
January 26, 2021
A book about kids helping their dads and learning from them. I think I'll use it as a read aloud and then do a drawing. The truck humanization is so cute. The dump truck is called Big Daddy.
The repetition would be well liked by the kids. I can't believe the author of Pete the Cat wrote this!
The repetition would be well liked by the kids. I can't believe the author of Pete the Cat wrote this!
September 13, 2017
Such a sweet book with lovely rhythm and rhyme. The little trucks are so cute! (I especially love little Forky who tries so hard, lol.) And I love that the author leaves it open whether they're little boy or little girl trucks.
April 10, 2019
This was really cute, and it has a lot of actions you could incorporate (each truck has verbs like "scoop scoop scoop"/"spin spin pour"/"reach reach reach". It goes through each truck, which features a big "daddy" truck and a little "baby" truck. Great to recommend to truck lovers
August 14, 2017
Cute concept with big truck fathers and their little truck kids. Rhyming text with changing meter.
February 28, 2018
A father-son type of book.
June 12, 2018
Father's Day Story Time. Children who love trucks will love this book. Those who don't won't find it quite as engaging.
June 29, 2018
Cute and fun noises
July 23, 2018
I read this for my son's reading time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews