Knock Knock - by Daniel Beaty (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A boy wakes up one morning to find his father gone. At first, he feels lost. But his father has left him a letter filled with advice to guide him through the times he cannot be there"--

Book Synopsis

Winner of a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Medal and the Boston Horn Book Award

A simple, powerful book for children, about an absent father and the love he leaves behind

Every morning, I play a game with my father.He goes knock knock on my doorand I pretend to be asleeptill he gets right next to the bed.And my papa, he tells me, "I love you." But what happens when, one day, that "knock knock" doesn't come? This powerful and inspiring book shows the love that an absent parent can leave behind, and the strength that children find in themselves as they grow up and follow their dreams.

Review Quotes

*"By sharing his experience, explained in an afterword, Beaty lends his voice to children struggling with the absence of a parent and the grief that goes with it."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A poignant [and] heart-wrenching tale of love, loss, and hope."--School Library Journal

"Bryan Collier's richly textured illustrations and the lyricism of Beaty's text-with its echoes of spoken-word poetry-make this story of bereavement also a story of possibility and beauty."--The New York Times Sunday Book Review

"Challenging but ultimately uplifting, Knock Knock is a thoughtful meditation on grappling with the sometimes uneasy legacy passed down to us by our parents."--The Huffington Post

"The desire for guidance encountering life's experiences is told from a small child's point of view with candor, as well as hope...."--Booklist

"The intimate nature of the text and the detailed visual environment are more suited for close sharing than a storytime, but the book's versatility suggests that it will see extended use."--The Bulletin

"The text, powerful and spare, is well supported by Collier's watercolor and collage art...there is a lot going on in the mind of any child who has been denied a parent, for whatever reason. In this book they will find comfort and inspiration."--The Horn Book

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award WinnerALSC Notable Children's BookBoston Globe-Horn Book Awards Picture Book HonorNotable Children's Book in the English Language ArtsChildren's Book Committee at Bank Street College Best Books of the YearA Huffington Post Best Picture Book of the Year

About the Author

Daniel Beaty is an award-winning writer, performer, educator, and empowerment expert. His works have been shared throughout the United States, Europe, and Africa in the area's of children's and adult literature, music, theater, film, and television. He has performed at The White House and has graced the stage of The Kennedy Center, as well as HBO and BET. His website is danielbeaty.com.

Bryan Collier has illustrated more than twenty-five picture books, including the award-winning Dave the Potter and Fifty Cents and a Dream, and has received numerous awards, including three Caldecott Honors and four Coretta Scott King Awards. He lives with his wife and children in Marlboro, New York. His website is bryancollier.com.