Soosh is an illustrator who has created a gentle, honest and purely loving commentary on the relationship between a father and his little daughter. With grace and warm humour, each image captures the daily acts of love, sacrifice, joy and togetherness that parent and child share, and they are truly each a work of art to behold.
You can imagine my joy then, at seeing a picture book showcasing Soosh's work come through the mail, I instantly remembered the artwork from almost a year ago, and devoured the gloriousness of this stunning book with relish. Created in quite neutral tones, each watercolour illustration seems to radiate a soft warmth that draws you in to a world of comfort, security and certainty that each and every child deserves to grow up in.
In a distinct difference to many other picture books on the market about fathers, this book doesn't focus on silly jokes, smelly socks, wrestling or any of the usual stuff typically associated with Dads. With a gentle giant of a man who sews, plaits hair, plays, and cooks (all elements that we often see associated with motherhood rather than fatherhood), Dad By My Side promotes fatherhood in a softer light, allowing us to embrace and celebrate the tender and more emotional moments of being a Dad.
I look forward with pure pleasure to see what other creations Soosh may bring to us in the future.
Title: Dad By My Side
Author/Illustrator: Soosh
Publisher: Lothian, $24.99
Publication Date: 8 May 2018
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9780316438087
For ages: 3 - 6
Type: Picture Book
