My Father Knows the Names of Things

my father knows the names of things. . . . And teaches all the names to me.

from each bird that sings, to every kind of cloud, to all of the planets, the father in this story knows the names of them all--and takes the time to impart his knowledge to his child. As they walk together outside, the father points out which mosses are the fuzziest and which insects are the buzziest, which flowers are the tallest and which beetles are the smallest. Jane yolen's lyrical text is complemented by stephane jorisch's soft artwork, a pairing that is touching without being overly sentimental, which makes this the perfect choice for fathers and children to share.

publishers weekly

while cheerful, this book is also a memorial to yolen's late husband. Freely drawn by jorisch in pen and watercolor, an effortlessly confident father guides his mop-headed child through a series of adventures. On an amusement ride, he points out astrological marvels, and their travels often center on the natural world (“he knows which mosses are the fuzziest,/ he knows which insects are the buzziest”). Yolen's easeful rhymes and jorisch's warm illustrations craft a bighearted tribute to fathers' seemingly infinite capacities for information—and their willingness to share it. Ages 4-8. (apr. )