Hello, friends! Our book today is Dad By My Side by Soosh, a touching ode to fatherhood.

In a series of vignettes, we meet a burly dad and his tiny daughter, getting a look into the things they like to do together. The reader is shown scenes of cooking, swimming, reading, playing, or simply hanging out with one another. The girl notes that her dad comforts her through the bad times (such as when her turtle passes away), protects her from monsters under the bed, and never misses a lullaby, even when he’s away. With all this love, guidance, and support, the little girl can see the stars, because with “Dad by my side, there’s nothing we can’t do.”

Positively precious. Each scene is as warm, cozy, and sentimental as the last, and will cut straight to the heart of any dad (especially the sizeable teddy bear variety like JJ’s daddy). I loved the variety of the father-daughter activities, especially the inclusion of some traditional feminine bonding activities such as sewing a dress or doing hair for a dance recital – it shows that no caring dad is too big or tough to take interest in his daughter’s hobbies. The watercolor illustrations are beautiful, humorous, and heartwarming, and the minimal text is just right. The length was great, and JJ loved it. A beautiful look at the special bond between dads and their little ones, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!