Hammer and Nails - by Josh Bledsoe (Hardcover)

About the Book

"After her play date is cancelled, a young girl and her dad have a fun day tackling their to-do lists together."--

Book Synopsis

Nominee:
Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy CLEL Bell Award, TALK
2017-2108 Chickadee Award

Darcy has plans. She and her friend are going to play dress up, do each other's hair, and polish their nails. Daddy has plans, too. He's going to read the paper, mow the lawn, and fix the fence. When Darcy's friend cancels and she's sure her day is ruined, Daddy suggests that they tackle their to-do lists together with a Darcy-Daddy Day. Daddy dons a tutu, and Darcy gives him a fancy hair do. They groom the lawn with Her Majesty's Mowing Service and face off in a Daddy-directed sock battle. But will Darcy want to hammer? Will Daddy do nails? Stepping outside their comfort zones, Darcy and Daddy opt to be open-minded and even a bit daring. As Daddy says, "Sometimes things you've never done end up being fun!" With a gung-ho attitude, Darcy masters the hammer, and Daddy goes for it with the nails.

Review Quotes

"STARRED REVIEW! Warrick's . . . illustrations marvelously play up the dichotomy between the burly . . . dad and his girly . . . daughter . . . . Kudos to this dad for not only making chores fun and making the most of time with his daughter, but for meeting her on her level." --Kirkus Reviews starred review

"This book tenderly and gorgeously captures their loving, encouraging, and playful relationship, without being didactic.... It is a perfect book for Father's Day, or any day as a heartfelt celebration of the loving bond of a father and daughter." -- Maria Marshall, The Picture Book Buzz blog

"Hammer and Nails shows how special a relationship between a father and daughter can be." --Laura Dekle, Children's Literature

"Aptly titled Hammer and Nails, this adorable adventure begins as . . . Darcy discovers that her playdate plans have gone kaput. In walks her doting Dad, who seems willing to do just about anything (including don a tutu?) to turn his daughter's day around . . . . Jessica Warrick's brilliant illustrations sweeten the story to endear its readers to this darling daddy-daughter duo." --Barbara Gruener, corneroncharacter.blogspot.co.il

"His is a wonderful book for our family . . . . We love Hammer and Nails and are looking forward to celebrating Father's Day, too!" --mommasbacon.com

"It truly was adorable and a PERFECT Father's Day gift! There is nothing like the love between a daddy and his daughter and Josh Bledsoe's book, Hammer and Nails, really celebrates that love! Well done, sir! WELL DONE!!!" --Angela Sweeney, theroadtohappyhealthymommies.blogspot.il

"Kids will giggle through Daddy's silly antics and hopefully both kids and parents will feel more comfortable trying new things together. It's also the perfect book to hand to kids who want to see their family reflected in the books they read . . . Verdict: A must for every library, unless you have a hitherto undiscovered wealth of titles on single fathers parenting daughters and trying new things together." --Jennifer Wharton, jeanlittlelibrary.blogspot.com

"Newcomer Bledsoe creates a humorous and relatable portrait of compromise and familial affection, while Warrick's watercolors strike a lovely balance between burliness and daintiness." --Publishers Weekly

"An ideal father and daughter book that shows how open minds and playfulness can save a day from disaster. " --Tasha Saecker, wakingbraincells.com

"Should dads ever need instructions on how to spend the day with their daughter, Hammer and Nails fits the bill." --Sue Morris, kid-lit-reviews.com

"The heart of this sweet but never cloying story is the love between parent and child. Darcy's father gives it his all, never once turning down a game in the name of traditional gender roles--a refreshing thing to see in picture books. ...a story this endearing can be enjoyed any time of year." --Julie Danielson, chapter16.org

About the Author

Josh Bledsoe is a debut author and elementary school teacher who loves hanging out with his kids. He has, at one time or another, played hair and nail salon, designed epic obstacle courses, worn a tutu, and made sandwiches out of waffles. He lives with his wife and two children outside Nashville, TN. Jessica Warrick creates humorous children's book illustrations from her home studio. Her work has appeared in Weekly Reader, and this is her eighth picture book. She lives in Portland, OR.