German-born author and illustrator Jörg Mühle has combined words and pictures to create a clever kind of wild goose chase.
Dad wakes one morning and sees his hair jump off his head and run away. Silliness ensues as Dad takes off after it.
He follows it all over the house, then out the door and into town where it enters a restaurant, as well as a pet shop, department store, the zoo, and other places.
Dad's hair camouflages itself, including on a bear, cactii, and in the grass. Another clever visual element used, is the hair looking like the line markings on the road.
Dad tries to catch his hair with a net, and a vacuum cleaner, but has no luck. His hair eventually reaches the sea and he gives up.
Dad remains bald, receiving postcards from his international travelling hair, until one day it begins to rain ... and his hair is back!
You need to read and look at this story carefully, because the humour is not just in what the words are saying, but what the pictures are showing you as well. What's even better is that the story has been translated from the original German.
When Dad's Hair Took Off is a great example of words and pictures telling the story, and it's all encapsulated in a short novel that will get young readers laughing.
Download a colouring sheet as well.
Title: When Dad's Hair Took Off
Author/Illustrator: Jörg Mühle
Publisher: Gecko Press, $17.99
Publication Date: June 2023
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781776575213
For ages: 6+
Type: Junior Fiction