I'm a Big Girl: A Story for Dads and Daughters

PreS-K—This DVD presents a father's wistful expression of how quickly time passes. When his little girl announces that she's a big girl now and can go up the stairs to bed by herself, he imagines four ages of her life: as she is now, as an older child, a teen with a backpack, and at the top of the stairs in a wedding dress. He becomes relieved when she reaches the top of the stairs and calls him to tuck her into bed. Author Greg Pope narrates his text (Flowerpot, 2014) to the accompaniment of a gentle solo piano, but the rhymes are sometimes awkward. The illustrations by Lea Wells are sweet, if rudimentary. In one, the daughter's hand reaches up to hold her father's, whose arm looks like it's disembodied, and the proportions of the girl to her father and to her cat are inconsistent. The two supplemental lullabies on the DVD shine, though. Here Pope's voice is rich and folksy, and in his original song, "Write You a Lullaby," he demonstrates that he can turn a phrase and compose a satisfying refrain. His version of the standard "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" has interesting phrasing and a lovely female voice singing harmony.