One for Dads: Me and My Dad! by Alison Ritchie

My dad wakes me up
every morning like this--
He tickles my nose and
gives me a kiss.

Alison Ritchie's Me and My Dad is a story in rhyme that is intensely touching in its simple evocation of the feelings of child for his father.

Soft and charming illustrations show a little bear's day from its warm wakeup through a perfect day in which Dad guides the youngster through various adventures-- exploring for birds' nests, dodging bees when they find a honey cache, snuggling from a thunderstorm in a cozy cave, and running between the raindrops. Riding high on Dad's shoulders, the young one feels tall and powerful...

My dad is a giant--
up here so am I--
If I stretch really high
'til I touch the sky.

After a swim on his dad's back and a chance to admire dad's log-tossing strength in the woods, the cub returns home in dad's arms for a nighttime snuggle:

My dad tells me stories
as day turns to night.
We cuddle up close
in the warm twinkling light.

It's a lucky human cub who has such a father. Alison Ritchie's elegant little quatrains and Alison Edgson's just-right paintings evoke the awe and affection a very young child feels for what he believes to be his all-powerful father. This book is a very sweet and endearing look at the bond between fathers and their very young children.