MomReviews

Elisha Cooper wrote and illustrated children’s books for years before becoming a parent himself, a situation he did not expect since he really didn’t care much for children in person. And parents-parents were former married couples who used to go to movies and out to dinner at fine restaurants. Beginning with the day his wife delivered their first daughter, Cooper lays out in fine detail exactly how it felt for him to be a first-time father.

In “Crawling: A Father’s First Year“, Mr. Cooper takes us along on his journey to learn how to be a father to his baby daughter Zoe. Beginning with bundling her up for walks down the hills of Berkley to his favorite coffee shop, navigating the tricky business of eating in restaurants with a child who goes from basically being a “handbag” (I know exactly what he means) to being a ticking time bomb, and ending with learning to speak the language of the Moms at the playground, Cooper uses humor and a true way with words to give the reader a unique perspective on parenting. The fact is, fathers parent differently from mothers, and we don’t often get such a candid look at how they really feel about it.

One way that Cooper learned to cope with the unpredictability of a baby was to take to the outdoors whenever possible. With Zoe secured in a Baby Bjorn, he would take her for long walks and as they went, he would point out to her what they were seeing and hearing. There was always a walk in the morning, and quite often, another walk in the evening as well. I have It was from those evening walks that Cooper was inspired to write “A Good Night Walk“.

The story begins at the front door of the Cooper home, walking past the neighbors’ houses, with descriptions of the sights, sounds, and smells they encounter. When they reach the bay, “with long boats on top, and the round moon rising above”, they turn around and head back. This time, the sights, sounds, and smells are reversing themselves, as everything and everyone prepares for the coming of the night, and the story ends back at the Cooper’s front door.

The single sentence on each page gives the reader ample time to enjoy Cooper’s charming pencil-and-watercolor illustrations-follow his example, and point out everything you see on each page. “A Good Night Walk” is the perfect bedtime story.

Both books are perfect gifts for first-time parents, especially fathers. A copy of each would be an excellent baby shower gift! You can pick up both books on Amazon or at local bookstores. I know you will enjoy either book as much as I did.

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