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If I Didn't Have You
A father and son discuss the variety of outlandish items they might have if not for the other in this funny and heartfelt look at the appreciation we have for our families.
There are tons of things a parent or child could have, if they didn’t have each other. A dad may be able to have a sleek sports car, and a son could have candy for every meal.
But if to have those things, they wouldn’t have each other…well, they’d rather have their family instead.
Kids and parents alike will find the humor in all the outlandish things they could have, but also the tenderness of knowing they have exactly what they need with each other.
There are tons of things a parent or child could have, if they didn’t have each other. A dad may be able to have a sleek sports car, and a son could have candy for every meal.
But if to have those things, they wouldn’t have each other…well, they’d rather have their family instead.
Kids and parents alike will find the humor in all the outlandish things they could have, but also the tenderness of knowing they have exactly what they need with each other.
32 pages, Hardcover
Published April 10, 2018
1 person is currently reading
35 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 24, 2018
If I Didn't Have You is the perfect blend of humor and love. This heartwarming tale depicts the incredible bond between a father and son in a fun and lighthearted way.
Young readers will be drawn to the brightly colored and exquisitely detailed illustrations and eagerly absorbed everything each page has to offer.
The back and forth banter between father and son is priceless and little ones will get a kick out of Mike's crazy ideas.
If I Didn't Have You is wonderfully written and certain to become a fast favorite with children and parents alike.
I highly recommend picking up a copy.
Young readers will be drawn to the brightly colored and exquisitely detailed illustrations and eagerly absorbed everything each page has to offer.
The back and forth banter between father and son is priceless and little ones will get a kick out of Mike's crazy ideas.
If I Didn't Have You is wonderfully written and certain to become a fast favorite with children and parents alike.
I highly recommend picking up a copy.
May 17, 2018
Very cute.
April 22, 2018
I Love this heartfelt story all about a dad and his son discussing all sorts of fun ideas that they could have if they did not have each other but ultimately what's better or more important then family! Perfect read aloud for celebrating Dads and sons!
April 11, 2018
So, Alan Katz has this new picture book out TODAY (April 10th) and since there is no one here yet who has written a review of the book, I guess it falls on me to say something by way of celebration.
Yay.
Really. That's it. What do you want? It's a picture book.
And it's all about a ali. . .croco. . .it's about a reptilian child, "Mike."
Okay what ali. . .croco. . .oh forget it. What reptilian parent would name its child, "Mike?"
Any way, this younger. . .reptile. . .engages his father in a conversation about what they might do or could have if it weren't for the other.
It's a sweet look at a father's love for his ali. . .croco. . .oh, forget it. This is about not having regrets for what one might have or could do if not for the parent framed in the fun, unaccountable things the child might do in the absence of a parent, but it comes down to what we would not trade for the experience of loving our children, reptilian or otherwise.
Robertson's illustrations are fun and cartoonish the manner one might expect of a seasoned animator and the humor of the illustrations are on point with Katz's playful sentimentality.
And no spoilers for this one, but the final pages introduce the conversation all over again with a loop back the beginning that is classic Katz.
There, Alan. A review. . .you want me to go back through and do an archetypal analysis of the book? Something like, protagonist Mike works through the shadow expressions of the Innocent with the patient guidance of a Level Three Sage-Caregiver?
Yay.
Really. That's it. What do you want? It's a picture book.
And it's all about a ali. . .croco. . .it's about a reptilian child, "Mike."
Okay what ali. . .croco. . .oh forget it. What reptilian parent would name its child, "Mike?"
Any way, this younger. . .reptile. . .engages his father in a conversation about what they might do or could have if it weren't for the other.
It's a sweet look at a father's love for his ali. . .croco. . .oh, forget it. This is about not having regrets for what one might have or could do if not for the parent framed in the fun, unaccountable things the child might do in the absence of a parent, but it comes down to what we would not trade for the experience of loving our children, reptilian or otherwise.
Robertson's illustrations are fun and cartoonish the manner one might expect of a seasoned animator and the humor of the illustrations are on point with Katz's playful sentimentality.
And no spoilers for this one, but the final pages introduce the conversation all over again with a loop back the beginning that is classic Katz.
There, Alan. A review. . .you want me to go back through and do an archetypal analysis of the book? Something like, protagonist Mike works through the shadow expressions of the Innocent with the patient guidance of a Level Three Sage-Caregiver?
May 20, 2018
Such a sweet back and forth story between a dad and his son, each trying to outdo the other with all of the things they could have or be doing if they didn't have the other. All is in jest because of course, they would really rather have their dad/son.
July 17, 2018
This struck a seriously wrong chord with me.
The purpose of this story is to show the love and connection between a father and son through humorous dialogue on all the great things they could do without each other. However, the story reinforces that the father is missing out on a whole lot of things (fancy cars, exciting lifestyle) by having a son and that son can't do a lot of things he would like to because his father won't let him. The book gives explicit examples with both the father and son of all the things they are missing out on (father: sports car, sky-diving lessons, pursuing dream career, son: playing video games all day, eating candy for every meal) but contains only one example of what they gain from each other and a one word response 'Absolutely" to the son's repeated query 'But you'd rather have me?'
This book gets awfully close to regretfully what some children experience: their parents explicitly or implicitly blaming them for holding them back.
The age of the child is unclear, as he acts and says things that seem more typical for a pre-adolescent than the age that the book is geared towards. The story opens with the child questioning, "How come you don't have a car like that, Dad?" while a sports car drives in front of their house. A more age appropriate response to this cool car would be "Look at that cool car!" or "Dad! Can we get that cool car?" This question seems intentionally needling in a pre-adolescent or adolescent way.
After a battle of wits with each trying to outdo the other in what they could do without the other, they discover that something they can do with each other is listen to music and dance together. The son apologizes after the dancing for insinuating that he would rather rather stay up late, etc. than have a father, and the father reciprocates, and they both affirm that they would rather have each other, and are pictured hugging. Nice, but weak considering the number of pages devoted to the joys of life without each other. The book concludes by embracing a dominant parenting stereotype. Father and son have made a mess with all their fun dancing, mother comes home, expresses horror and says "I'd have a neat, calm, peaceful home....if I didn't have you!" Father and son press mother to say that she would rather have them and mother hesitantly agrees, but follows up with the finale of the book, "Of course, what I'd really like is a custom-built sports car with racing stripes!" and is pictured happily driving off. Funny, I guess, and cool that the mom wants a sports car, which seems to invert the stereotype, but...the reader knows that the part about mom getting upset that the house is messy is real and the part about the mom choosing a sports car over her family is a joke (hopefully), so the stereotype remains intact.
The purpose of this story is to show the love and connection between a father and son through humorous dialogue on all the great things they could do without each other. However, the story reinforces that the father is missing out on a whole lot of things (fancy cars, exciting lifestyle) by having a son and that son can't do a lot of things he would like to because his father won't let him. The book gives explicit examples with both the father and son of all the things they are missing out on (father: sports car, sky-diving lessons, pursuing dream career, son: playing video games all day, eating candy for every meal) but contains only one example of what they gain from each other and a one word response 'Absolutely" to the son's repeated query 'But you'd rather have me?'
This book gets awfully close to regretfully what some children experience: their parents explicitly or implicitly blaming them for holding them back.
The age of the child is unclear, as he acts and says things that seem more typical for a pre-adolescent than the age that the book is geared towards. The story opens with the child questioning, "How come you don't have a car like that, Dad?" while a sports car drives in front of their house. A more age appropriate response to this cool car would be "Look at that cool car!" or "Dad! Can we get that cool car?" This question seems intentionally needling in a pre-adolescent or adolescent way.
After a battle of wits with each trying to outdo the other in what they could do without the other, they discover that something they can do with each other is listen to music and dance together. The son apologizes after the dancing for insinuating that he would rather rather stay up late, etc. than have a father, and the father reciprocates, and they both affirm that they would rather have each other, and are pictured hugging. Nice, but weak considering the number of pages devoted to the joys of life without each other. The book concludes by embracing a dominant parenting stereotype. Father and son have made a mess with all their fun dancing, mother comes home, expresses horror and says "I'd have a neat, calm, peaceful home....if I didn't have you!" Father and son press mother to say that she would rather have them and mother hesitantly agrees, but follows up with the finale of the book, "Of course, what I'd really like is a custom-built sports car with racing stripes!" and is pictured happily driving off. Funny, I guess, and cool that the mom wants a sports car, which seems to invert the stereotype, but...the reader knows that the part about mom getting upset that the house is messy is real and the part about the mom choosing a sports car over her family is a joke (hopefully), so the stereotype remains intact.
June 21, 2018
In a hilarious and fun conversation, a father and son talk about all the things they could do if they didn’t have each other. The dad could have a fancy sports car, take skydiving lessons, and have a personal butler; and the son would never have to clean his room, he could eat candy all day long, and adopt as many pets as he wants. But there is one thing they both agree on; they would rather have each other.
A giggle out-loud read, with all the things a father and son could be if they didn’t have the responsibilities of being a father or a son, but still deciding that they would still rather have each other. A heartwarming, fun book for any father and son to read together, and talk about all the silly things they love, or crazy dreams they have. Bright, colorful, illustrations only add to the excitement, making their outlandish competition of ideas even more silly.
you can find more of my reviews and giveaways in my syndicated printed newspaper column: For the Love of Books-Dixon's Independent Voice, as well on my Instagram: amy_fortheloveofbooks.
A giggle out-loud read, with all the things a father and son could be if they didn’t have the responsibilities of being a father or a son, but still deciding that they would still rather have each other. A heartwarming, fun book for any father and son to read together, and talk about all the silly things they love, or crazy dreams they have. Bright, colorful, illustrations only add to the excitement, making their outlandish competition of ideas even more silly.
you can find more of my reviews and giveaways in my syndicated printed newspaper column: For the Love of Books-Dixon's Independent Voice, as well on my Instagram: amy_fortheloveofbooks.
August 19, 2018
This was a cute and somewhat true story about all of the things that parents (and kids) could do if we didn't have each other. Parents would do all of the fun and dangerous things and own sports cars if we didn't have kids. And kids would just go wild, eat all the things, stay up all night playing video games, etc. if they didn't have parents. But the overall message was so cute, we all love and need each other and we are better when we are together.
August 27, 2018
I thought this picture book was hilarious. A man driving a shiny sports car sparks a conversation between a father and a son about all the things they can't do because of the other one. It sounds like it would be negative, but in fact it's the opposite-after each thing they say they can't do, they say "But I'd rather have you". The illustrations are adorable.
August 27, 2018
I'm very conflicted about this book. The pictures are cute and colorful, and the accompanying story is funny and sweet (at times). But it also seems odd to tell a child 'I could have a sportscar if I didn't have you'.
November 20, 2018
What a cute book for families, to read, together. Shows how much children and parents mean to each other and how they'd be lost without the other.
And I like how they use alligators to tell the story. I feel that children like to read more if animals are the main characters.
And I like how they use alligators to tell the story. I feel that children like to read more if animals are the main characters.
November 25, 2018
This book raises the question, "What would you do if you didn't have parents around telling you what to do?" The father and son in the book exchange ideas. Naturally, the reader would explore ideas of their own. A writing project?
May 18, 2019
A father and son crocodile play "what if" with each other about what they could do if they weren't a part of their family. But in the end, they both agree that it is much better that they have each other over whatever other dreams or wants they might have.
Nice illustrations.
Nice illustrations.
July 13, 2018
Mike and dad imagine the things they could have and do without each other but realize they'd rather have each other no matter what.
September 5, 2018
Mike and his father dream about the things that they could do if they didn't have each other but in the end they decide what they really want is each other.
May 13, 2019
A father alligator and his son list all the things they would do if they didn't have each other but do they really mean it? Cute and I loved the ending. Preschool and up
July 27, 2020
Cute concept and a fun readaloud. Our 2 1/2 year old loved this one.
September 29, 2020
Good book for a dad to read to his son at bedtime
My 5 year old loves this book, it is a great way to bond with your son. I highly recommend it.
My 5 year old loves this book, it is a great way to bond with your son. I highly recommend it.
March 6, 2021
A father and son might do different things if they didn't have one another but they'd rather have things the way they are. Love the gators with personality!
April 23, 2021
A father and son trade-off ideas on what they could have and do if the other wasn't "in their way". In the end, they decide they'd rather have each other. Very cute and colorful.
February 10, 2022
I don't think I would ever read this book to my class just because I almost put an idea in her childhood that you take things for granite. At least that's the message I got from the book.
January 18, 2025
A dad and a son joke about the things they could have or do if they didn't have each other, like a custom sports car or unlimited candy. I really enjoyed the mom at the end 🤣
April 30, 2020
A dad and son talk about everything they could do if they didn’t have each other. “But I’d rather have you.” Mom is in the book too, but not until the end.
January 30, 2024
A fun book about how different life might be without one another. Very imaginative with good action-filled illustrations. I liked the diversity of animals beyond the immediate family members.
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July 21, 2018Final copy via publisher
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews