My Dad Used to Be so Cool

by Keith Negley

Keith Negley's playful and emotional art tells this story of a new father who is no longer the cool guy he once was. He looks back wistfully on his crazy times playing in a band, riding a motorcycle, and getting tattoos. Those days may be behind him, but his young son still thinks he's the coolest guy in the world.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Family, Storytime, Fiction, Humor, Parenting

38 pages, Hardcover

First published May 12, 2016

About the author

Keith's work has appeared on book covers, children's books, t-shirts, album covers, posters, skateboard decks, and even a watch. He is a frequent contributor to The New York Times and New Yorker in addition to many other national publications. He received his BFA from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design in 2000, and his MFA from The School of Visual Arts in New York City in 2013 and doesn’t regret the student debt one bit. He’s won 4 medals from the Society of Illustrators, a medal from the Society of Illustrators West, and 2 medals from the 3x3 International Illustration annual. His book Tough Guys (Have Feelings Too) received a Kate Greenaway Medal nomination in 2016. Keith resides in the mountains of Bellingham Washington with his wife and two boys surrounded by giant spiders and teaches illustration at Western Washington University.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 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.

[Hadas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute book! Funny.

[Litwithlove · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay, but pretty dry and boring. There was minimal text and the pauses were kind of awkward. This book felt more geared towards us parents feeling cool, so that's kind of cool.

[Kaylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cute. Super adorable.

[Courtney Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gospel truth for children, painfully relatable for parents.

[Indigo Wolford · Rating 4 out of 5]

first non five star because this book was strange. My dad is cool currently

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Why didn’t I think of that?!” – my frustration when I learn about a cool book (from a friend, Monika, who always has a keen eye for the good stuff) and afterwards when I own and read it I’m really mad at myself for not thinking of it first.

Great fun book. Cool illustrations, a quick read and definitely aimed at those used-to-be-cool-dads that might be sporting ink and were in a handful of (not so great punk) rock bands.

I think this book might be the catalyst to get my own kids to check out their dad’s videos on YouTube to see him in some past bands. (Will they like it? No – nobody did! But my ego will be content knowing the total views went up by 1!)

[Nancy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Love the art.
So disturbed by the message that making art is frivolous, and that the serious work is domestic.

Also disturbed by the fact that this is written for adults to feel better about their domesticity; these are not a child's thoughts or concerns -- yet this book poses as a "children's book." The whole thing makes me feel duped.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is a little simplistic, but the art is perfection, and I adore stories about great dads. Plus, there are pictures of a tattooed guy vacuuming, so bonus.

[Raven Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and quirky and LOVE the last page!!! Perfect for Dads who are more Ozzy O. then Ozzie N.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keith Negley (Tough Guys Have Feelings, Too) brings another look at men through a child’s eye and this young guy is pretty certain that his dad used to be in a band (illustrations include a drum set stashed in a closet, photos of a young rocker on the wall) and that maybe he used to be cool. He contrasts thoughts of his dad rocking out on stage and zooming down the road on a motorcycle with scenes of dad tying his shoe and vacuuming and cannot make the two dads be the same. Finally, he wonders what changed. (Insert illustrations of driving to the park, exploring, playing hard on the equipment.) Yeah, his dad might still be cool…until he starts bobbing to the music, singing at the top of his lungs and sticking his “rock on” fingers out the window. (Yup, another great illustration at this point and no words necessary because we’ve all been there!

Fabulous book for preschool through grade 2. May be a little triggering for littles who do not have a dad or their dad is not the solid role model pictured in this book. However, some of these kids are just the ones who need to know that there are dads who are involved with their children and, no matter what kind of tattoos or background, they can be that way, too. Love the fact that this dad IS a tattoo-sporting man who has a less than ordinary background yet still runs a vacuum cleaner and takes his son to the park!

Would make a great Father’s Day gift.

Thanks for sending me a finished copy for review, Flying Eye Books!

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to believe our Dad could ever be cool. Everything he does seems to ordinary or boring. But sometimes we can deduce what Dad was like before we came into the picture. One boy believes his Dad was a rock star and is ready to see why the rock star gave it up to be a Dad.

Much like Negley's first book, the text is minimal and the illustrations are very strong and vibrant. In this book, the author uses context clues in the illustrations to hint to the reader to potential past life of the boy's Dad. It's simple but straightforward in its appreciation of Dads, they used to be cool-but most of the time they aren't ;-)

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Halina Hetman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Непогані ілюстрації та зворушливий текст про сприйняття власних батьків: спочатку вони для найважливіші люди в світі, потім дитина починає помічати, що дорослі не всесильні, потім - дивуватися що в них було життя до її народження і батько таки щось в цьому світі бачив, а вже згодом приходить повніше розуміння Іншого, який тебе породив, але залишився Іншим.
Ця книжка - про третій етап, про зачудування минулим тата, який був таким крутим, коли грав в рок-гурті чи ганяв на мотоциклі. А може й зараз класний, якщо придивитися?..

[McKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh man, I was so cool before I was a parent! (false)

This book shows alternating perspectives from the child and the dad. How life is now vs life before being a dad. I loved how the author chose to show those differences, keeping positions the same for an immersive transition. I think this would be a great book for Story Time around Father's Day! Not all parents are rockstars, but most of us aren't living the exact same life prior to parenthood! I loved the message of this book.

Thanks to Flying Eye Books and Penguin Random House for the physical copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Luciana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the bright, bold, detailed, thought-provoking illustrations in this quirky book about a father & son!

The son is pretty sure his dad used to be pretty cool in his younger years as there is evidence of his previous life tucked away. However, the son wants to know what has changed. As adults, we know what has changed :)

A good book to generate family discussions on parents' previous lives before children!

[Donna Mork · Rating 4 out of 5]

A boy is sure his dad used to be cool. There is evidence he was in a rock band (drums) and had a motorcycle (for sale). Kid wonders what happened to make him give it all up. Then after they play at the playground and have a great day, the kids says maybe his dad is a little bit cool. Then his dad starts singing with the radio and the kids say, no, never mind...he's totally NOT cool. Funny.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

An thought-provoking book about a young boy who is sure that his dad used to be a musician. Readers are given clues to the dad's history (closet full of band equipment, dad's old motorcycle). They boy speculates on why his father would have stopped being so cool. Children will feel encouraged to interpret from the pictures if dad really was a musician and why he stopped.

[Rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute book about a young boy and his Dad. The boy is the narrator and is guessing at the types of things his Dad used to do (being in a rock and roll group, touring and playing music on stage, and so on) because he used to be cool. The story is short - and midway through the story is told with just the illustrations. The artwork isn’t my favourite style but it is very fitting with the story. Would make a good Father’s Day gift!

[Jeremy Teel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells a story that most children can easily relate to. They see hints of an expired coolness in their parents and wonder what could have happened to make them so uncool. Combine this story with a fun illustrative style, and you have got a winner.

[Michelle Vaughn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really beautiful, punchy, lively illustrations. Mads (age 5) actively thinks his dad is so cool (he says so all the time), so the story was a little lost on him, but we enjoyed the illustrations mightily.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little boy has a hard time believing that his dad used to be a rocker with a motorcycle. After all, he is always serious, doing household chores and taking care of his son. What happened to change his dad?

[Margaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the perspective of a child, we learn of suspicions that dad used to be cool and speculation as to what could have changed that. Several wordless pages reflect the idea that while he’s not in a rock band, he’s a pretty good dad.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute story about a kid who suspects his dad used to be cool (played in a rock band, drove a motorcycle), but isn't cool anymore. A quick read that is relatively uneventful. When our family read this, dad apprecited the story more than the kid.

[Madison LibraryBookFamily · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's fun to look back on the people we used to be before we became parents. We no longer sing in rock bands or ride motorcycles. But we still happen to be a little cool in the eyes of our children.

[Sara Ruiz Parr · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is very cute for the children of musicians, but a little dry in terms of child engagement with the content. The illustration style was fun, tattooed parent representations can be few and far between.

[Rakisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice! I really liked the illustrations.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is about a boy who knows his dad use to be cool but doesn't know why his dad isn't cool now.

[Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adored this.