"I Love My Daddy" is written and illustrated by Sebastian Braun. This book, appropriate for children ages birth to 5, consists of single sentences per page with large and colorful illustrations. The pictures show daddy and baby as a brown bear and a cub. The pages go through different things that a daddy can do with his baby. "My daddy washes me. My daddy tickles me." The adorable and simplistic pictures of the baby and father bond are lovely for parents and children to share together.
For a transracially adopted child, the bears offer a non-specific parent and child reference. The bears have no skin color like other books with parent and child. Most books will show white parent with white child, or black parent with black child. Having a visual of the character of father and baby as bears and not as people offers a visual break so you can solely focus on the love of parent to child.
Since this book needs no discussion points as it is for the younger child, I will offer some activities to do while reading instead.
- Act out each page while reading with baby. For example, "My daddy cuddles me," cuddle and hug baby. "My daddy washes me," run your hands and fingers like trickling water over baby’s face.
- Point out the colors on each page to baby.
- Focus on the vocabulary words: bear, baby, daddy, me
- If learning letters and sounds, focus on the B letter and sound for b-baby and b-bear
- Talk about some things that you like to do with your daddy (or uncle, or grandpa, etc.)
- Older children will like to hold the book and "read" the story back to the parent.
MLJ Adoptions
MLJ Adoptions is a Non-Profit, Hague-Accredited adoption service provider located in Indianapolis, Indiana, working in Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Pacific Isles. We are passionate about serving children in need.
MLJ Adoptions
MLJ Adoptions is a Non-Profit, Hague-Accredited adoption service provider located in Indianapolis, Indiana, working in Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Pacific Isles. We are passionate about serving children in need.