Where Did Daddy's Hair Go?

"A boy learns to see his father through new eyes in this humorous though occasionally disjointed tale. A stranger's passing jibe at a baseball game ('Hey, Baldy — sit down!') alerts Jeremiah to his father's baldness, something he'd never considered before. He later overhears his parent say, 'I lost my hair,' and decides to help. Jeremiah searches high and low ('He even looked in the toilet bowl') for Daddy's hair. The boy then goes on to muse on the nature of baldness, 'I wonder if other things lose their hair like Daddy did,' then has an epiphany when he spies his baby sister: 'Maybe he was just born like that!' Editorial cartoonist Payne uses bold ink outlines for his characters and objects, while warm earthy hues offset stark white backgrounds, and funny images abound. For example, when Jeremiah imagines Daddy with hair, a spread depicts six versions of the man with wavy, curly or slicked-back locks, and as a cowboy, rock star and nerd. While the story meanders some, the tale's thoughtful and comical aspects, which emphasize Daddy's self-acceptance and prompt Jeremiah's awareness of the beauty of human diversity, ultimately redeem it. Ages 5-8. (Apr.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)