A Perfect Father's Day

by Eve Bunting, Susan Meddaugh (Illustrator)

Susie takes her Dad to a restaurant and then they enjoy a series of special activities for Father's Day before returning home to a surprise that Mom has prepared.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Family, Holiday, Summer

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 18, 1991

About the author

Also known as Evelyn Bolton and A.E. Bunting.

Anne Evelyn Bunting, better known as Eve Bunting, is an author with more than 250 books. Her books are diverse in age groups, from picture books to chapter books, and topic, ranging from Thanksgiving to riots in Los Angeles. Eve Bunting has won several awards for her works.

Bunting went to school in Ireland and grew up with storytelling. In Ireland, “There used to be Shanachies… the shanachie was a storyteller who went from house to house telling his tales of ghosts and fairies, of old Irish heroes and battles still to be won. Maybe I’m a bit of a Shanchie myself, telling stories to anyone who will listen.” This storytelling began as an inspiration for Bunting and continues with her work.

In 1958, Bunting moved to the United States with her husband and three children. A few years later, Bunting enrolled in a community college writing course. She felt the desire to write about her heritage. Bunting has taught writing classes at UCLA. She now lives in Pasadena, California.

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sure hope Dad has Monday off to recover from his "perfect" day.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the children enjoyed this book, they weren't as interested and the pictures weren't as good as other books. I think the theme of the father doing all the things the kid liked and the child thinking it was everything she liked went over their heads

[Holly McAteer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is for Dr. Syke's 3307 Classroom Literature class. In this realistic fiction picture book, Susie is a young girl that takes her dad out to celebrate father's day. They spend all day together, and the father's love is clearly shown as each of their activities are actually Susie's favorite things to do and the father happily joins her because it makes her happy and makes her feel like she is giving her dad the best day ever. The reader learns about how to love others well and sacrifice to please those that you love. It is told from the 3rd person point of view. The story takes place all in one day and begins and ends at the home. Susie is an innocent, sweet, thoughtful daughter and her parents are very loving. The illustrations really help to tell the story.

[Anne Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute book where a young girl takes her father out for Father's Day. You get the idea that all of the things she suggests they do are things she likes to do herself and that she and her father have done together in the past. But the central message that comes across is that her father loves being a father to her, and spending the day with her is what makes it a perfect day.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

First graders were astute enough to realize that all the activities in the book were things that Susie likes to do. The pictures show dad happy but exhausted. In the end, dad also agrees that it was perfect because is happy.

[Melissa Namba · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it. older kids will recognize that dad's best day is really the kids' best day and will get a chuckle. younger kids will just think he is the perfect dad.

[Nichole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute picture book about fatherhood and raising a pre-schooler.

[Christine Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet story about a little girl celebrating her dad on Father's Day.

[Sadia Mansoor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was it Father's Day or Susie's Day? :P

[Kathy Piselli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for the child, of course.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice story for Father's Day, given that I've found relatively few books on the subject. The four-year-old daughter plans a fun day for Daddy for Father's Day--but she ends up choosing all her favorite activities for their outings. I think this is done more from her own limited perspective and thinking that what she loves, everyone else must love, too (rather than out of selfishness--she even asks Daddy if he likes those things, which he responds to with "Of course.") It's a sweet story and I love the ending when the mom bakes a Father's Day cake and puts four candles on it--one for each year he's been a father. Too cute!

[J-Lynn Van Pelt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young girl takes her father to all of her favorite places so that they have the best Father's Day ever.

The illustrations are pen, watercolor, and colored pencil. They capture the little girl's strong personality and the dad's willingness to go along with her plan.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is geared towards younger children. I do enjoy the illustrations and how they tell two different viewpoints. The text is mainly from the child's perspective but the illustrations really brought the story home for me. Cute read for young children.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

father's day - father with 4-year-old daughter who plans her favorite day for father's day

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

33 months -This is not the greatest of story telling especially for Eve Bunting but it's still really nice to have a book to read on Father's Day.

[Teri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another just OK Father's Day book. At least it's not terrible, like most of them are. :)

[Lauren White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for grades k-2

[Lindsey Hapeman]

published: 1991

This book is about a girl named Susie who plans out a special Father's Day for her dad. They day is filled with excitement to celebrate the holiday.