My Dad Used To Be So Cool

A young boy believes that his now-boring father was once a punk-rocker in this engaging picture-book from author/illustrator Keith Negley, who made his debut with Tough Guys Have Feelings Too. Pointing to the "proof" he has - his father's instruments, stored away in a closet - the boy imagines his father having a blast. What made his father stop being so cool, he wonders? Then, after a session of playing on the playground, he concludes that his dad can still be a little cool, only to take it back the next minute, when his father does something embarrassing...

Although it is his second book, My Dad Used To Be So Cool is the first title I have picked up from Negley, but it certainly won't be my last! Like so many picture-books from Flying show more Eye Books, it was visually stunning. I loved Negley's artwork here, with its vivid colors and stylized but expressive figures. The fold-out page depicting their playground visit was fun, although I suspect it will also create physical problems with the book, as the copy I read already had lots of folds and creases where they shouldn't have been, from the pages being folded back incorrectly. I appreciated the story as much as the art, and liked how Negley captured a young boy's mixed feelings about his father, vacillating between pride and embarrassment. I do wonder if young children will grasp the notion, which fairly leaped out at me while reading those passages in which the boy wonders what happened to change his father, that it was the boy himself who caused his father's transformation. Is this something that only an older reader would grasp, or will children take it in as well? I'm not really sure. In any case, even without that insight, there's plenty here to entertain and for the reader to ponder. It's particularly welcome to see a book devoted to the father-son bond in picture-books, as I feel this is still somewhat rare, when compared to the mother-child one. Recommended to readers who enjoy bright, vivid artwork with a lot of graphic appeal, and to anyone searching for children's stories about fathers. show less

This book was provided to me as a digital review copy by the publisher, via Edelweiss.

The little boy in this book is convinced that his dad has a rock-star background. He wonders how his dad went from being so cool to being his “pretty normal” dad.

I don’t know about his dad, but this book is definitely cool. The illustrations are spot on and fun. The narrative is simple, but is so beautifully supplemented by the artwork that it turns into a much more complex and thoughtful story. I love the innocence with which the main character approaches the idea of his dad no longer being cool; he never blames himself, and you never get the sense that the dad misses whatever his past life may have been. He seems to be having just as much fun show more as his son. show less

A sweet and funny book about a young, tattooed dad who used to be so cool - riding a motorcycle, playing in a band, rocking a punk haircut.

After the household chores are done for the day, the dad and his son head for the park and the young boy muses, "Something must have happened ... for him to give it all up." They run and play and dream in the park. Hmmm ... could he still be pretty cool after all?

An affirming book for all the caring fathers who receive too little attention in picture books -- or a role model book for those fathers who need a nudge.

Simple, brightly colored illustrations are reminiscent of folk art style and speak volumes with minimal details.

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I loved this!

I loved Negley's use of colour, so many punchy primary colours just made the pages super vivid. I don't want to say much about the plot but I really enjoyed his framing of all the images and the styling.

I thought this was a playful really sweet little book and I can't wait to read Negley's other work, namely Tough Guys Have Feelings Too. c:

I want to like Negley's books, but as Tough Guys pretty much failed, I think this did, too. At least that one had a message. This one, um, what? Dads aren't cool after all? It's not cool enough to have fun with your kid? If you are a dad who used to be a cool rock star, when you do finally show your creds you get mocked by your son?

I dunno. I'm most def. not the target audience so maybe I'm missing something. Otoh, my three grown sons are good people and this is not like anything I shared with them or would have, so what did we all miss out on? I'll read other reviews, I guess.

A fun father and child story about how a little boy perceives his dad, wondering why he isn't cool anymore. What could have happened that he would stop all the rockband, motorcycle riding, and spiked hairdos? But by the end of the story, after his dad had taken him to the park and the playground, the little boy concedes that maybe, probably, his dad is still cool. The illustrations are minimalist, block/shape like with bold color contrast. There is a double page wide spread that shows all the activities that dad is doing with his son.

This was an adorable ode to fatherhood. Perfect as a father's day gift for the new dad or an old dad feeling his age.