Mad at Dad
by Janie Hao; illus. by the author
Preschool    Kids Can    32 pp.
10/24    9781525310263    $19.99
e-book ed.  9781525310737    $13.99

“Sometimes my dad makes me…” begins this expressive narrator; open the two gatefold pages to finish the overwhelming thought: “SOOO MAD!” A standoff at the dinner table (over vegetables) has the defiant narrator storming off to their room. Hao’s emotionally charged illustrations, full of sharp angles, emanata, and strong vivid colors, leave no doubt that the main character has some Big Feelings; five well-placed double-gatefold spreads put their emotions on full display. “SLAM!” goes the bedroom door on a fiery orange-red double-page spread, an emphatic yellow starburst indicating sound and fury. “I DO NOT LIKE BEING MAD!!!” They try some calming techniques, to no avail: venting to stuffed animals, counting, cartwheels. Drawing doesn’t work, either—the bedroom floor begins to warp as if absorbing the child’s frustration. A wildly energetic gatefold spread shows the scowling narrator surrounded by angry crayon drawings and marks “…STILL MAD!” It’s hard to rage for hours, however, and as the sun goes down, both internal and external moods change. Hot pulsing colors and insistent shapes are replaced by quieter twilight purples and simpler compositions. The tone is more subdued: “Luckily, when I’m sad (and still a bit mad)… // …here comes Dad” with a snack and a hug. This emotional journey of a picture book reassures listeners that it’s okay to feel and show anger; it’s also okay to let go, accept a peace offering, and mean it when you say, “I love my dad.”

From the ">November/December 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.