Merdaddy - by Wednesday Kirwan (Hardcover)

About the Book

"In their bath time reverie, Merbaby, an imaginative child, has wonderful aquatic adventures with their merdaddy until their fingers start to prune and it is time for bed"--

Book Synopsis

An ode to parent-child bonding, imagination, the ocean, and bath time! Perfectly pitched for even the youngest readers, Merdaddy is a sweet young picture book with a gentle, genuinely surprising twist that will charm fans of Oona and Julián Is a Mermaid.

Deep down under the sea live Merbaby and Merdaddy. They talk to the fish, have seaweed picnics, float with the jellyfish, hide with the otters, surf with the turtles, and save any hapless sailors who need help. The water is the best place Merbaby can imagine being . . . until Merdaddy says their fingers look like raisins and their teeth are chattering.

With bright watercolor-and-collage illustrations and a wonderful read-aloud text, Wednesday Kirwan dives into the vivid, sea-themed imagination of a young child. The gentle surprise--we've been playing in the bathtub all along!--will delight young children and their parents alike. Merdaddy is destined to become a classic bedtime book for every home.

Review Quotes

"A father and child frolic with various sea creatures in this easy-going book, which pictures its protagonists' relationship as one of play and protection. . . . Cut-paper elements add depth to Kirwan's scenes, which frequently picture the narrator gazing adoringly at their caregiver. . . . The pair's underwater adventure comes. . . into focus for a tender close." - Publishers Weekly
"Merdaddy, a burly, bearded creature with a fish's tail and an anchor tattoo on his arm, expresses his love for his child through various forms of imaginative play. . . . The scene shifts to a bathroom . . . [They] are father and child taking part in the nighttime ritual of bathtime before bed. Families will recognize . . . the sometimes elaborate paths parents and caregivers need to take to get this task done efficiently. Paper collage illustrations provide texture to a bright, energetic aquatic world and bring to life the loving, playful relationship between father and child." - Kirkus Reviews