Safe and snug with Daddy Hug!

© 2021 by Tim Warnes

“Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a daddy.”

— School Library JournalI’m proud (and grateful for the opportunity) to have been a hands-on dad when my boys grew up.

My identity as a father is core to my being. So it irks me that in the world of picturebooks, dads are short-changed. Yes - male characters dominate. But too often in stereotypically masculine roles - with mothers being assigned the caring, parental role. 

 

By contrast, fathers barely featured ... unless accompanied by a co-parent …This reflects a skewed version of the world which is bad for boys as well as girls. The lack of fathers, for instance, steers [boys] away from an interest in nurturing and caring behaviour…

- Must monsters always be male? Huge gender bias revealed in children’s books by Donna Ferguson

 

So when an opportunity presents itself, I try to redress the imbalance. And in that category, I would include my story, Daddy Hug, illustrated by Jane Chapman (Harper Collins 2008). It’s written in simple rhyming couplets which remind us that daddies come in all shapes and sizes: 

Described by Booktrust as a ‘beautiful picture book’, Daddy Hug has an ‘adorable but realistically portrayed cast of animals’ parading through the pages - daddies interacting and watching over their young.

I especially like the opening spread featuring Daddy Spiky (a porcupine) and Daddy Fluffy (an ostrich). Those baby porcupines are oh so cute!

 

From Daddy Hug by Tim Warnes, illustrated by Jane Chapman (HarperCollins 2008) | Illustration © 2008 by Jane Chapman | Used by permission

 

From Daddy Hug by Tim Warnes, illustrated by Jane Chapman (HarperCollins 2008) | Illustration © 2008 by Jane Chapman | Used by permission

 

[Chapman’s] animal families are warm and loving, with expressive faces, and she keeps their interactions and activities natural. A cuddly tribute to all the things that make a dad, Dad...and not a bad way to reinforce a child’s concept of adjectives and verbs, either.

- Kirkus reviews

 

I wrote Daddy Hug to be fun to read aloud. I didn’t give much thought to what animals the daddies were. The resulting ensemble - from familiar farmyard friends like sheep and ducks to more exotic creatures - hummingbirds and walruses, celebrates the Animal Kingdom in all its shapes and forms!

Daddy Hug had a real impact on one particular father, Mr Dan Courtine. He wrote to me in 2019, describing how he’d enjoyed reading it with his young boys and savoured those precious moments of connection as they shared the book. “We acted it out… We laughed, and we bonded.”

 

From Daddy Hug by Tim Warnes, illustrated by Jane Chapman (HarperCollins 2008) | Illustration © 2008 by Jane Chapman | Used by permission

 

Dan continues:

 

There were three rules we had while reading Daddy Hug. 

Rule 1 was that we had to just BE together, be in the moment and enjoy it. 

Rule 2 was that when we saw the moose on the opening pages, we had to put our moose antler hands in our ears and MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSE as loud as we could. We scared mom many times with this part, but a rule is a rule. 

And Rule 3 was that the snake page had to be read as quickly as possible. 

 

Dan’s eldest son, Jameson, tragically (and unexpectedly) passed away in 2019, aged just nine years old.  “This tragedy has left a tremendous hole in my heart as I can’t give him any more Daddy Hugs,” writes Dan.

Amazingly, Jameson’s parents used the family’s tragedy as a spark to create ways to serve others. 

They set up a foundation, Jameson’s Joy, to honour their son’s memory, creating opportunities for parents to intentionally connect with their children through various programs and activities. One way is by providing copies of Daddy Hug - one of Jameson’s favourite books - to fathers of young children. This year, Jameson’s Joy has partnered with Rex Hospital in Raleigh, NC to gift 5000 copies of Daddy Hug to fathers when they leave with their newborns. 

How amazing is that!

Dan Courtine is an inspiring father. He epitomizes Daddy Strong. He uses his grief to create something beautiful and share something special - connection to children through stories.

 

From Daddy Hug by Tim Warnes, illustrated by Jane Chapman (HarperCollins 2008) | Illustration © 2008 by Jane Chapman | Used by permission

 

The gentle rhyme [of Daddy Hug] sets the tone for bedtime, and the final spread is the perfect segue to sleep, with a group of daddies hugging their children close. 

- Kirkus Reviews 

 

Jameson’s Joy reminds and encourages us to intentionally spend more time investing in our children and less on those things that leave no legacy. Because one way or another, childhood is short. So let’s make it sweet for our kids.

 

From Daddy Hug by Tim Warnes, illustrated by Jane Chapman (HarperCollins 2008) | Illustration © 2008 by Jane Chapman | Used by permission

 

STORIES WORTH SHARING: Daddy Hug by Tim Warnes and Jane Chapman

Good to Read because:

The bouncy, rhyming text is fun to read aloud and aids speech development.

The unusual parade of animals will spark questions (For example, when will the baby porcupines grow spikes? Are baby snails born with shells?)

Curiosity = conversation = connection!

It pretty much guarantees a hug for daddy - good for his well-being and stress levels!

It sets the tone for bedtime with its gentle rhyme and final spread of daddies hugging their babies.

Shortlisted - Booktrust Early Years Award (Best Book for Babies) 2008

 Good to Read

In celebration of dads

Only My Dad and Me by Alyssa Satin Capucelli, ill. by Tiphanie Beake (HarperFestival 2003)

Just Like You by Jane Chapman (Little Tiger Press 2018)

The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish by Neil Gaiman, ill. by Dave McKean (Bloomsbury 2004)

Daddy Hug by Tim Warnes, ill. by Jane Chapman (HarperCollins 2008)

 Do you enjoy my articles? Then perhaps you might consider making a donation to the Daddy Hug fundraiser to connect fathers with their newborn babies.  Support jameson's joy   SOURCESOpening quote: School Library JournalMust monsters always be male? Huge gender bias revealed in children’s books (The Guardian, January 21 2018)Daddy Hug (Kirkus Reviews, may 1 2008)Jameson’s Joy Foundation© 2020 BY TIM WARNES(UNLESS OTHERWISE ATTRIBUTED)**** USE OF THIRD PARTY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL FALLS UNDER FAIR USE/FAIR DEALING PRACTICE.