Daniel Beaty

I enjoyed reading Knock Knock- My Dad’s Dream for Me for a variety of reasons. First, this book pushes young readers to discuss a very prominent issue for African American children. Knock Knock tells the tale of a young boy whose father left him a note about all the things he will need to know as he grows older before the father left his family. This book can be a tool for young children who have been abandoned by fathers for various reasons to make them feel as if they are not alone in show more their emotions and normalize their family structure. The first person point of view enhanced the characters relatability since it is told from the child’s perspective. The main character in the story is very believable and well-developed. He talks about wanting to drive a car and play basketball with his father, which is something most boys wish to do at a young age. Additionally, this book is written in a call and response style, with the son first writing a letter to his father and the father responding to the son’s questions. For example, the son writes “when I get older I thought you could teach me how to dribble a ball, how to shave” and approximately seven pages later the father responds in a separate letter by saying “as you grow older, shave in one direction with strong, deliberate strokes to avoid irritation.” The first person point of view and the call and response style create a strong picture book for young readers to enjoy and learn from. show less

Gorgeous. Definitely not limited to the experience of black boys whose fathers are incarcerated; in fact it's only from the notes that we know that he's in prison (rather than banished, dying in an institution, whatever). Do not miss the symbolism of flight & freedom with the paper airplanes, and of 'the elephant in the room' of those (too subtle for some) silhouettes. Highly recommended to any child or teen who is growing up without one of their role models... and to everyone else who is show more open to empathizing with someone in that situation.

It does seem odd to me that this wonderful father is in prison and for so long... but then, that's true to the extremely racist 'justice' system we have here in the US. show less

This book is really powerful, and addresses the difficult experience of growing up while a parent is incarcerated. I think that Beaty does an excellent job conveying the gradual transition from not fully understanding as a child to acceptance, forgiveness, and reflection as an adult. The main character recognizes all the things he would miss out on with his dad not being around to help him grow up. Therefore he makes it his goal to lead his life in a way that will make him happy.

Every morning, a young boy waits for his father to go KNOCK KNOCK on his bedroom door. The boy pretends to be asleep and then jumps into his father’s arms when the dad comes up to his bed. But one day Papa stops coming, “and morning after morning he never comes.”

The boy misses his father terribly, and writes him a letter telling him all the things he misses. He is especially worried that his father won’t be there to teach him what he needs to know to be a man. “Papa,” he says, show more “come home, ‘cause I want to be just like you, but I’m forgetting who you are.’”

One day the boy comes home from school to find a tie from his father and a letter. His dad says he is sorry he will not be coming home, but leaves him some lessons:

"No longer will I be there to knock on your door,
so you must learn to knock for yourself.
KNOCK KNOCK down the doors that I could not.
KNOCK KNOCK to open new doors to your dreams.
KNOCK KNOCK for me,
for as long as you become your best,
the best of me still lives in you.”

By the end of the book, the boy is grown, and we can see that his father is still with him, on the inside.

Sobbing yet?

Illustrator Bryan Collier is outstanding as usual in depicting emotions in his faces and in his ability to confer a sense of place. I loved his use of the dad’s tie throughout the book to show graphically the way in which the dad stayed with the boy throughout his life. Using watercolor and collage, Collier brings Harlem to life, and conveys love in every one of his panels. Particularly effective is the picture that shows the smaller versions of the boy inside the grown-up man, putting on his tie.

Discussion: At the end of the book, an Author’s Note explains that Beaty’s father was originally his principal caregiver, and they played the Knock Knock game every morning. But his dad was incarcerated when the author was three. As he grew up and became an educator, he decided he wanted to address the pain created by the separation from the child’s point of view. He also performs this story as a monologue.

Evaluation: This book loses some of its punch because of the ambiguity of what happens to the father. It seems as if the author wanted to account for any type of loss, whether through divorce, death, or incarceration, but in so doing, added a bit of confusion to the story. Nevertheless, it is memorable, heartbreaking, and uplifting all at once. Each time I read through it, I cried again. I think children, however, will find it reassuring and comforting. Nevertheless, for you adults who read along with the kids, stock up on kleenex. show less