When a little boy realizes, "I accidentally misplaced my dad this
morning," he runs outside to look for him. There he meets a man who
tells the boy he works at the Bureau of Misplaced Dads. "Come with me,"
the man says. "With any luck, your father will be there waiting for you
..." At the Bureau of Misplaced Dads, the boy is shown dozens of dads
who are missing their children --- including a Super Dad, a dancing dad
and a dad "who always looks like he's just gotten out of bed" --- but
none of them are the right dad. None of them are his dad. Is the little
boy looking in the wrong place? This funny and heartwarming picture book
covers a subject every child can relate to --- the fear of getting
separated from a parent. However, in Éric Veillé's original story, the
roles are reversed and the child is the one searching, while the dads
are all "lost" and waiting to be picked up. The illustrations by Pauline
Martin highlight quirky details of the fathers, bringing a light touch
to the subject. This book would be a useful classroom tool to begin a
discussion about the sensitive topic of fear. With so many different
kinds of dads represented here, this book could also spark a lively
conversation on family diversity, or even a sharing presentation in
which each child can choose which dad is the most like his or her own
and why.