When Dad Was Away

PreS-Gr 2—Milly is embarrassed and confused when her classmates taunt her by shouting the word "prison" at her. At home she gets her mother to tell her the truth; Daddy is not away working, he's in jail for theft. Mom does all the right things for her daughter and son, Sam, by assuring them that this was not their fault and that their father still loves them. As soon as she is able, she takes the children to visit their dad. The siblings draw pictures for him and, in return, he records a CD of himself telling stories to them. So while he is away, the parent-child connection remains solid. On Milly's birthday, her father returns home to great delight all around. The author of this book works in prisons and is well acquainted with the needs of the children of inmates. The reassurance of their parent's love and the need for stability in their lives are strong elements of this story. However, both the writing and the illustrations are workmanlike. Libraries with little on parental incarceration will find this book useful. Look to Jacqueline Woodson's Visiting Day (Scholastic, 2002) for a more inspiring choice on the same topic.—Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA