Dad's Bald Head - Hardcover

PreSchool-Grade 2—Pete enjoys watching his father shave until, one morning, Dad unexpectedly shaves off what little hair is left on his balding head. The boy spends the day contemplating this new style, observing how other men handle hair loss and, with his mother, looking at photos of Dad's various hairdos through the years. At bedtime, Dad asks Pete if he should keep the new look and the child answers by giving him a kiss on his bare head. Quite a few youngsters can identify with the experience of having a parent radically alter his or her appearance, and the author subtly examines the emotions that these changes stir up. O'Malley's digitally colored cartoon artwork underscores the tale's humor. Although the illustrations are uneven and occasionally suffer from poor page placement, they are animated and mesh well with the buoyant text. Despite the book's shortcomings, this lighthearted story could encourage fathers to explore their own hair loss with their children.—Rachel G. Payne, Brooklyn Public Library, NY
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