Made for Me

by Zack Bush, Gregorio De Lauretis (Illustrator)

Of all the children that ever could be,
You are the one made just for me. From a child's first uttered "Dada" to his or her first unsteady steps, nothing can adequately convey the joy and awe of watching the birth and growth of a new child. Now releasing as a board book filled with adorable illustrations and the refrain, "You are the one made just for me,"  Made for Me is a winning presentation of tender moments that tie a father and his new child together—forever.

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

20 pages, Board Book

First published March 1, 2018

Reviews

[Rosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: A sweet bedtime story from a father to his child. Cute graphics, great sentiments.

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This bedtime story is written from a dad’s perspective, addressing his little child as they prepare for bedtime. As there’s no mom in the story or illustrations, the dad is a hand-on father, doing everything for his child without hesitation.

Each page contains only a two-line verse, so the look is quite clutter-free. The couplets are written in simple rhythmic prose. Most of the rhymes are well done, with only a couple of them feeling forced. However, the tenses are all over the place, with the text juggling across past, present and future randomly. There are also a couple of redundancies, such as ‘small tiny hands”. The issues I mentioned are mostly ones that only adults with notice so kiddos shouldn’t have a problem with this sweet book.

I love the affirmation that is repeated once every few pages: “Of all the children that could ever be, You are the one made just for me”. What a lovely thought for kids to know!

The illustrations are cute, with the soft colours working perfect for the mood. The gigantic father represents how he sees his child literally as being his little one. I also love how the child’s gender is kept neutral in the story, both in the text and in the illustrations. The book can thus be used for a child of any gender in real life.

All in all, a good bedtime story for the littlest of littlies. This will work well as a bedtime read for ages 0-5.

3.75 stars.

My thanks to Familius for providing the DRC of “Made for Me” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

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[Miranda Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredibly heartwarming board book all about a Dad telling his child how important they are to him.

It is an extremely short book but it does such a good job of expressing the love between the father and his child - often hitting on that refrain that 'you were made for me.'

The illustrations were true perfection for this story - the soft color palette and the style of the characters really cinched the story.

I really adored just the way love was portrayed in this book - it was so sweet and totally darling. And there's so few books that focus only on the dad & child relationship, so I definitely appreciated that.

With thanks to Familius Publishing for sending this one my way!!

[Ankit Saxena · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a beautifully tender picture book that captures one of the purest emotions in the world—the unconditional love between parents and their child. Every page gently reminds us that the love of parents is the 'prime-most pillar' in a child’s life, shaping their sense of belonging, security and worth.

The story is simple yet profoundly heartfelt. It reflects a truth many parents feel but often struggle to put into words, that being a parent is a feeling that cannot truly be explained—it can only be lived, moment by moment. From the first time you hold your child to the countless small moments of watching them grow, the book perfectly captures that quiet, overwhelming love.

With its soft language and touching cozy illustrations, this picture book becomes more than just a bedtime story—it becomes a reminder of the sacred bond between parent and child. It’s the kind of book that parents will read aloud with a full heart and perhaps a tearful smile.

A truly heartwarming read that celebrates parenthood in the most genuine way. 💛📖

My NetGalley review

[Corinne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely sweet. It's good to see a father and child relationship portrayed in such a sweet and loving way.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Made For Me is an adorably sweet picture book for children about a father and the love he has for his child. This book shows an excited father waiting to meet his newborn son at the beginning and then goes through little stages of his life and expresses how much he loves him and just how much he means to him. Told in rhyming form with jolly and engaging illustrations, this book made me smile at every turn of the page.
The book focuses on just the father and son throughout the book and all the fun and joy they have together and bring each other making it a special book about the love of a father.

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

This ebook was made available for me to read and review by Zack Bush, Familius, and NetGalley.

The illustrator of this vibrant picture ebook is Gregorio De Laurentis. The illustrations are crisp and definitely from the point of view of the parent with exaggerated size differences.

"Of all of the children that ever could be, you are the one made just for me." 
This ebook is for little kids. I would say infants through preschool would be the target audience for this digital board book. This one is written for the parents, and I absolutely teared up as I read it to my 2 yr old grandson. 

Thank you to Zack Bush, Familius, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ebook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute and simple story book about a parent's love for their child.

[Ruth Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Tomorrow I'll love you even more than today."
Beautiful.

[pati · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sappy sweet, just as it should be when a parent falls in love with their child.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, so, so sweet.

[Tranylle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A touching story about the love a dad has for his son that was made just for him.

[Harlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was made just for mom and dad!

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un padre cariñoso arropa a su bebé por la noche, juega con bebe, y les lava el cabello a la hora del baño. El papá le dice a su bebe cuánto lo ama y lo aprecia. Cada nuevo día es una aventura de descubrimiento mientras el papá observa a su hijo explorar su pequeño mundo.

Realmente me gusta que el niño pequeño en el libro pueda ser una niña o un niño, ¡así que atraerá a todos los niños! El texto es muy dulce ya que el papá describe cuánto ama a su pequeño bebé. Es un texto que rima, y ​​las rimas son buenas y el metro encaja.

¡Las ilustraciones son tan lindas! El papá es realmente enorme y el bebé es tan pequeño. ¡El contraste lo hace aún más lindo! Cada página muestra al papá y al bebé haciendo alguna actividad divertida, jugando a los superhéroes, golpeando ollas y sartenes, o simplemente mirando mariposas.

Las páginas del libro de cartón son realmente gruesas y resistentes, lo que lo hace perfecto para las manos de los niños pequeños.

Descargo de responsabilidad: Recibí una copia de este libro del editor a cambio de una revisión gratuita y honesta. Todas las opiniones expresadas aquí son mis propios pensamientos verdaderos y no están influenciadas por nadie.

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A loving Dad tucks his baby child in at night, plays games, and washes their hair at bathtime. The Dad tells his child how much they are loved and cherished. Every new day is an adventure of discovery as the Dad watches their child explore their little world.

I really like that the toddler in the book could be a girl or a boy, so it will appeal to all children! The text is very sweet as the Dad describes how much they love their little baby. It's a rhyming text, and the rhymes are good and the meter fits.

The illustrations are so cute! The Dad is really huge, and the baby is so tiny and little. The contrast makes it even cuter! Every page shows the Dad and baby doing some fun activity, playing superheroes, banging pots and pans, or just watching butterflies.

The board book pages are really thick and sturdy, making it perfect for little toddler hands.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

[Ale Sandoval Tress · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMO este libro.
Primero: la edición: no solo es pasta dura, sino que además, es un poco pachona. Si tu lo tomas, la portada es como acolchonada y de un material que va a aguantar que lo tome un bebé con sus manos sucias, y podrás limpiarlo sin maltratarlo.
Segundo: las ilustraciones, son maravillosas.
Tercero: ¡el texto! un padre que amorosamente recibe a su bebé en el hospital y que le dice que es perfecto para él. Y está en rima.
Ahora que mi hijo es papá, le ha puesto palabras a todo lo que siente cada vez que toma entre sus brazos a su hija.

[Michelle (FabBookReviews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating and review to come!

[Danette · Rating 4 out of 5]

So sweet! This book highlights the special love a father has for his little child. Would be especially fun if your child was a red-head.

1/2/19 Read with Julia.

[Raspberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Najbardziej wzruszająca książeczka dla dzieci jaką czytałam.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet book. A father speaks of his love to his baby, toddler, then little son.

[Mort's Kids · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sappy as hell but somewhat unique in that it's sappy for fathers, rather than mothers or generic parents. Cute illustrations too.

[Corinna Angehrn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cried in Chapters reading this because it reminded me of brother and his truck driver friends with their kids.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The visual humor in the illustrations are a great counterbalance to the super-sweet text. Outlandishly huge and "manly" Dad (plaid shirt, baseball cap, beard) takes on even the most delicate aspects of child-rearing with full-on gusto, from the mundane to the adventurous. Dad's delight is mirrored in his child's face as s/he grows from infant to toddler. The enormous, page-filling dad is made human, lovable, (and comical) by scaling his face and hands closer to normal scale.
Pair this book with Rhonda Leet's recent FRANNY'S FATHER IS A FEMINIST (featuring a similarly oversized father) as an ideal Dad-oriented shower or newborn gift. In both cases, the enormity of pending paternity is captured in these big dudes. Both enthusiastic dad-characters will quell qualms and can mentor with the best of them.

[Deanna Bussadori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this rhyming picture book which is focused on the feelings of "Dada".

The illustrations show a burly dad cradling, embracing, playing and totally besotted with his tiny newborn and then toddler, giving you a protective and very loving perspective of how the father is feeling. The couplet "Of all the children that ever could be, you are the one made just for me" is a reminder throughout that his love is deep and forever bonding.

This is an adorable book for parents to read to their children but especially great for dad's to share with their little ones!

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A father talks all about his love for his son. preschool and up

[Anjanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

very touching story!!
love that dad is featured!

[Katherine Decker · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED IT. An amazing picture books for readers of all ages, children and adults!

[Conny Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Of all the children that ever could be, you are the one made just for me,” Zach Bush ends his children’s book, Made for Me.

~ What ~
This thirty-two-page board book with a padded cover and rounded edges targets three- to five-year-old children who like stories about a father’s love for his child. With no scary scenes, it would be best read to beginner readers based on some complicated words. Simplistic but colorful illustrations cover the pages with black font against white backgrounds that are incorporated into the designs.

In this short rhyming tale, an over-sized man carrying a baseball cap welcomes his tiny son at the hospital. From the first moment the dad lays eyes on his little baby, his world is wondrously changed. Cuddling, changing, tickling, feeding, bathing, and comforting his boy becomes his joy. Every day when the parent wakes up, he looks forward to playing, teaching, and enjoying his child. In the end, the father reiterates the child was made just for him.

~ Why ~
Fathers play a vital role in their children’s lives, and I love how this book shows the love and devotion a dad has once he sees his child being born until he is a toddler playing ball or walking hand in hand. The burly man is adorable in his own way, complete with huge biceps covering a too-short red shirt and belted jeans.

~ Why Not ~
Some may not like a book that only focuses on fathers and contains no references to mothers, but I think it is the purpose of the story. There may be a few kids who are scared of large men so may find the read frightful. Others may not like how sophomoric the illustrations are, but the big man portrayed is heartwarming.

~ Wish ~
I wonder if some men who are not extra-large sized may feel offended that they are not as big. I wish a mother could have been included in a couple of the scenes as it appears as if the father is raising the child alone.

~ Want ~
If you are looking for a cute book that shows the unique love a father has for his new son, this would make an ideal Father’s Day or birthday gift for a new dad.

Thanks to Familius and the author for this complimentary book that I am under no obligation to review.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading like a companion book to Dad by My Side by Soosh, this charming children’s story is told from the point of view of the parent rather than the child. Starting with the recto page opposite the first flyleaf, we see a huge figure nervously clutching his hat and waiting outside a room with a baby carriage on it.

Here is a dad who’s pleased as punch to welcome a new member into his life. He even resembles the titular character in Soosh’s book, roly poly, bushy bearded, with arms and legs like hams and dressing like a lumberjack.

In couplets celebrating his absolute joy over the new addition (it could be a girl or boy; we’re never told either way), we see the jocund father playing with, bathing and watching over his little charge. Every moment is a thing of magic and wonder; his bliss practically bursts off the page. The baby is a happy one, usually smiling or laughing, with nary a tear to spoil their times together.

The illustrations are simple with daddy’s round outlines looming playing over the tiny infant like a jovial sun. Most of them feature daddy and child against an all-white page with only a few details to detract from the central figures.

Even though these books were penned by different authors, they work well together. Maybe they could be read by parent and child, if the child is old enough.

[Onaczytanoca · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mowa o “Dla mnie”. Opowiada ona o uczuciach taty do dziecka. Często mężczyźni nie są wylewni w swoich uczuciach, są bardziej skryci (albo ja tylko takich znam), a uczucia do dziecka są bardzo wyjątkowe.

Książka pokazuje jak w dużym facecie rodzi się miłość do małej istotki, która właśnie się urodziła.
Jak każdy moment z życia dziecka jest wyjątkowy i ważny dla taty.

Moim zdaniem ta książka jest ważna dla ojców jak i dzieci. Czasami dzieciom może wydawać się, że nikt się nimi nie interesuje, że ciągle coś jest ważniejszego. Wiadomo, że najważniejsze jest pokazywanie naszym zachowaniem, że są dla nas najważniejsi na świecie, ale warto też czytać tę książkę dziecku. I mówić mu, że dla nas jest tak samo wyjątkowe jak to dziecko w “Dla mnie”.

Książka dotarła do mnie chwile przed narodzinami Jasia i powiem Wam, że czytając ją poleciały mi łzy wzruszenia. Przypomniały mi się wszystkie wyjątkowe chwile z Antkiem, ale przy okazji cieszyłam się, że kolejny raz będę mogła je przeżyć z Jasiem.

Ale też czytając tę książkę miałam w głowie obraz mojego męża z Antkiem. Mój mąż do małych nie należy, do okazujących uczuć też nie. Ale gdy widzę, jak bawi się z Antkiem, jak jadą razem na rower, teraz jak patrzy na Jasia. I wiem, jak dzieci są dla niego bardzo ważne, chociaż nie powie tego wprost.

Dla mnie ta książka jest bardzo wyjątkowa i moim zdaniem powinna się znaleźć w biblioteczce każdego dziecka i taty.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superlatively well done, this love letter from a father to a child shows fine wit, in amongst the sentiment, which works as opposed to ladling on the cheese, typical gift book fashion. What heightens everything is that the father here is a humongous blob of masculinity – under a brick coloured shirt with brick-styled texture/print to it too. Compared to that the baby is a leaf of fragile humanity, seemingly able to be blown away more easily than it is to be held at finger-tips. We have books aplenty in this category, that act as pictorial messages of devotion, and we ought to have the people able to declare it in ways not too dissimilar to what we have here. But the visual contrast and the sincere warmth here do make this stand out as something so much better than many similar volumes. The couplets are very strong, keeping their rhythm, the refrain in the text is glorious, and while it would help the father character here doesn't have to be matched by real life for this to really, really work, and to be really, really appreciated. Four and a half stars.