A genuinely funny picture book that works on multiple levels.
Children’s author Adrian Beck has paired with illustrator Simon Greiner for a genuinely funny picture book that works on multiple levels.
A trip to the zoo with his dad finds the young narrator being bombarded with bad jokes and puns from fathers, the animals, and the zoo signs. For the youngest of kids being read to, there are animals to recognise and explore, while for slightly older readers, there’s word play, rhythm and comedy to learn and understand.
Beck’s story is told in rhyme, with the jokes appearing in speech bubbles above other characters. Despite all the suffering the young protagonist goes through listening to the jokes, there’s a heart-warming finish that gives a very positive message about love and family.
The large font used in the book mimics handwriting, which complements Greiner’s stylish full-page illustrations. The pictures are colourful and fun, offering lots of visuals to discuss with youngsters, from the animals themselves to the environment of sea shells, trees, food and more. Every page offers something to discover.
Stop the Dad Jokes is a delightful book that works equally well at multiple stages of a child’s development. Whether being read by an adult, or by the child themselves, it’s bound to entertain with each read as the child’s early comprehension and language skills develop.
Reviewed by Rod Lewis
Twitter: @StrtegicRetweet
Distributed by: Penguin Books
Released: July 2021
RRP: $17.99
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