This Is My Dad

The perfect dad isn't always a father

Illustrated by Nicky Johnston
Published by Exisle Publishing
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

This is My Dad celebrates families of all shapes and sizes in a heartfelt, beautifully illustrated story that parents and carers will love sharing with their children.

Most of the time, Leo loves Show and Tell at school. But when his teacher announces that next up is Tell Us About Your Dad Day, his tummy ties into knots and he tries to disappear into the corner of the classroom. His classmates can’t wait but all Leo can think is … ‘how can I celebrate someone I’ve never met?’ Leo is an only child living with his mother, and has never known a father figure.

His mother is his hero: as a children’s author, she spends most of her time battling monsters and creating awesome new worlds! When Tell Us About Your Dad Day comes around, Leo worries that he won’t have anything to present to his class. After fruitlessly searching high and low for clues about his father, he realises that he already knows someone cool, courageous and clever – someone who’s not his dad, but is his everything.

This is My Dad is a timely, important and heart-warming look at modern family dynamics. It highlights that families come in all shapes and sizes, and they are all worthy of celebration. With one in four children in the UK living with a single parent, and 90% of those parents being a woman, Leo’s family situation will resonate with millions of children, and will provide a valuable insight for millions more.

About The Author

Dimity Powell is a writer of children’s stories and a reviewer of books, and also acts as a Books in Homes role model.

About The Illustrator

Nicky Johnston is an educator, speaker, and author/illustrator of children’s books. She visits schools and presents at workshops and conferences, sharing her journey, promoting emotional resilience and raising awareness of mental health issues.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Exisle Publishing (March 1, 2022)
  • Length: 24 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781922539076
  • Ages: 4 - 8

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Raves and Reviews

“ This book acknowledges single parents and the important roles they play to their children. It celebrates families of every shape and size, and highlights the fact that whilst the presence of a male role model is helpful to a child's upbringing and well-being, it is not always possible or realistic, and there are many other carers that are equally as worthy of celebrating”

– In The Good Books

“a great heads-up for teachers but also a book which appears to be for littlies but which can enable older students to examine their own perspectives at arm’s length, perhaps even reflect on their own situations and how that has shaped them.”

– The Bottom Shelf

“A wonderful and heart-warming story that children will love and those who don’t know their dads will find helpful"

– Literacy, Families and Learning

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High Resolution Images

More books from this author: Dimity Powell

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