My Dad Used To Be So Cool

"This is a depiction of a modern dad. We see him folding laundry and taking his son to the park. The book also, very cleverly, depicts his previous life — in a band, riding a bike. There are clues to this dad’s previous life all through the illustrations. It’s very satisfying once you work it out. This is excellent visual storytelling and beautifully shows how having a child is transformative. All achieved with the illustrations. The text, which is narrated by the son, is the boy’s voice and thoughts. It’s a great depiction of a modern father and his relationship with his son. It challenges some stereotypes – this is a guy with a past, who hasn’t always been the perfect model of responsibility. He’s a bit of a rebel. And this is true of a lot of parents. It’s a great book for parents too because the humour is pretty sophisticated. The story takes a look at the people parents were before they came to be parents. I think kids find this fascinating – my kids ask about my past a great deal. They want to know things like how I met their mother or what were we like when we were students – all these things are intriguing for children."