A Father Like That

by Charlotte Zolotow, LeUyen Pham (Illustrator)

A boy knows all about fathers. He knows there are little things a father understands, like how to play checkers and when to bend the rules at bedtime. And he knows there are big things a father does, like banishing nightmares and spending special time with his son. Even if he doesn't have a father, a boy can imagine one just like that. LeUyen Pham's tender drawings illustrate Charlotte Zolotow's timeless and timely appreciation of the special bond between fathers and sons.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Childrens, African American, Fiction, Cultural, Parenting

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

Charlotte Zolotow was a distinguished American writer, editor, and publisher who made a lasting mark on children's literature. Over her career, she authored around 70 picture book texts and edited works by prominent writers including Paul Zindel, Robert Lipsyte, and Francesca Lia Block. Born in Norfolk, Virginia, she studied writing at the University of Wisconsin Madison and later joined Harper & Bros in New York, where she worked her way up from secretary to publisher. Her own books were published by over 20 houses, and she became known for her poetic and emotionally insightful texts. Zolotow’s most celebrated works include When the Wind Stops, William’s Doll, and River Winding. Her story "Enemies" was featured in The Big Book for Peace alongside other notable authors. She lived for many years in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. Her legacy endures not only through her own writing but also through the Charlotte Zolotow Award, established in 1998 to honor outstanding picture book texts. Her contributions helped shape modern children's literature with sensitivity, elegance, and enduring relevance.

Reviews

[Cheryl]

Not sure how to rate. The original, cartoony illustrations by Shecter distracted me. The newer edition looks better. The concept is nice, especially the sweet ending.

But I'm a mom, and I feel the mother's pov, and it feels to me like she's being dissed for 1. not being a good enough parent and 2. not keeping or finding a father for the boy. Ok, yeah, a boy needs a dad, but really she's doing the best she can. At least the boy trusts her enough to talk about this imaginary father with her, so there's that.

[Jabria · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Father Like That, is a fiction book, about a boy who knows a lot about fathers, and imagines the type of father that he would like to have one day. This book relates to my topic because the little boy is imagining the type of dad he would like to have, and a father and son relationship is an important dynamic of a family.

I think that the story is interesting because it is something that some children can relate to. It also offers a variety of things to think about, question, or consider such as what makes a good father and if the students agree or disagree with the boy's imaginations. I believe that it is age appropriate for children up to the second or third grade reading levels and utilizes the style and language that are appropriate for their interest as well. This story also includes realistic and convincing characters.

I believe that the illustrations are accurate in terms of setting, plot, and characters, and also correspond to the text. It is also able to hold the children's interest while the text is read and enhances the story by giving good visual representation of the text.

The book doesn't really represent a variety of cultures, but I think that it is about a topic that people no matter what culture they may be apart of can relate to. The characters don't really represent a variety of cultural groups. I don't think that there are any negative stereotypes shown in the reading, and the lifestyles of the characters are genuine. The characters in this story use speech that accurately represent their culture.

[Randie D. Camp, M.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young boy shares with his mother how things would be if his father was in his life. After he is finished sharing his list, his mother encourages him to be a father like the one he describes someday.

Great message, made me a little teary-eyed but I am a single mom and I could picture having the same conversation with my son. When he is a little bit older, we will re-visit this book.

The illustrations do a nice job of showing expression and movement.

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the story of “A Father like That” a young boy tells his mom what he wishes his father could be like if he had a father, since his dad left when he was just a baby. The boy gives a list of qualities and characteristics that he thinks are important and crucial to being a good father. He talks about things like playing chess, leaving the house, and simply enjoying father-son moments together. As the story progresses the young boy becomes sad because all he can do is only dream about the father he so longs for. The best part about the book is the end because the boy’s mother tells him, “In case he never comes, just remember when you grow up, you can be a father like that!”

This book can be used in the classroom to discuss the idea of diverse families because it talks about single-parent families. It can teach children that one parent can do just about the same as two. All in all, it teaches children to value what they do have. It is appropriate to use because it has descriptive text and illustrations to make the story flow along more smoothly. Although the author, Charlotte Zolotow, is not a single parent nor was she raised by a single parent she does a great job in teaching her readers about the subject and how certain children can be affected by it. Lots of children can probably relate to this book because of the emotions displayed in the text. Overall, this book is a great read for anyone who wants to know a little about what missing a parent can be like for a child.

[Jose Juan · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this story by Charlotte Zolotow a young boy invisions the perfect father figure and describes him to his mother. The boy's father was never a part of his life. LeUyen Pham does an incredible job of illustrating this children's book with beautiful, colorful, and tender drawings. A few motifs that I picked up on that Pham uses in this story is the color mustard use though out. This color sets an intimate mood through out the story. Another motif Pham uses is the detailed art work in the wall paper that is seen in the background. One last motif that Pham uses well is the patterns she uses in the clothing as well as the objects in the room. Pham captures shadows very well in her drawings. The illustrations seemed very realistic. Pham does a good job of blending the picture into the white space. My favorite quote is at the end of the story when the mother says to the boy after he describes all these great qualities that he would like to see in his father figure;

"And in case he never comes, just remember when you grow up, you can be a father like that youself!"

I feel that any single parent can nurture their child with positive thoughts so that they don't fall into a similar cycle with their own children. Some times when a child grows up with a single parent and they hear negative comments about their other parent, when the child grows up either falls into the same pattern.

[Joelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zolotow,C.(1971).A Father Like That.New York,New York: Harper & Row Publishers, Inc.

I thought this book was great. I used in my read aloud lesson, where I had to teach a controversial topic. This book focuses on the topic of a young boy who does not have a father figure in his life. I found this to be powerful and moving, because many of my students came from broken homes. In this story, the child not only didn't have a father but was constantly dreaming about the things he would do with his father if he could. In the end, he decided to make a situation that wasn't ideal for him into a learning experience and how to better himself. I found this to be a great "hidden" lesson for my students to learn.

[Hillary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised to find this had been reillustrated. Anohter reviewer wondered why the boy in question was black, as most of Zolotow's characters are white. In the first illustrations, he was white. It is a universal story however, and the boy could be any race, and it would still make my cry any time I read it.

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

A boy whose father left before he was born describes what his father would be like if he had one. Poignant, beautiful description of an ideal relationship between a father and son. Beautifully illustrated reprint of Charlotte Zolotow's 1971 story.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The perfect book to read to any child (especially boys) who is growing up without a father. The resolution at the end is perfect, a little bit sad, but still very perfect. Every child should grow up with a father like that.

[Hyunhee Bae · Rating 4 out of 5]

A boy, who didn’t have his father, imagined what did his father look like and act like.
He talked to all the nice things that he could do with his father.
From his imagination, I can tell what a model of father should be.
Later, his mom told him that he could be the father that he wanted to have.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A boy with no father is telling his mother what he thinks his father would be like if he had one. I'm going to just come right out and state this: I didn't like the fact that the fatherless child was African American. It just felt stereotypical.

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sensitive and heartbreaking little book. I prefer the artwork by Ben Shecter in this edition than to the newer edition published in 2007.

[Rachel Brown]

Good read

[Mary Leahy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It has a great lesson.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I'd like to compare this with the original illustrations but haven't found a copy of the older version yet. The illustrations can't be any better than these. This book is fantastic.

[Chambreeka · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am on the fence with this fictional book because it can be very relatable for fatherless children but it’s also stereotypical because the little boy is coincidentally black and it is the father whose missing. The little boy goes through different scenarios with his mother telling her all the things he’d do with his dad. The simple things the little boy mentions are touching and relatable for children with and without dads. The book is realistic fiction and all of the characters are ideal believable figures throughout the story. The illustrations are very neutral and soft toned to create that warm and empathetic feeling as you read. I find the book to be stereotypical because the little boy is black and a product of a single parent household without a father. The single black mom raising her kids alone without a dad is a negative image of the black family painted to often. The little boys mother ends his imagination of his dad by telling him he can be the father to his children he is imaging. The book contains many messages depending on who is reading it and what they take away from it. I think the book has a good message for children which is no matter your circumstances you can always choose the kind of person you want to be.

[Haley Carlisle]

A Father Like That is a fiction book about a little boy wishing he had a father. Throughout the story he explains to his mother that if he had a father, they would do everything together. The illustrations enhanced the story and shows the use of imagination. I think this book is age appropriate, and children can relate to it. The book could relate to a variety of cultures and to children who might be raised in a single parent home. The story utilizes real characters and makes the father actually seem as if he was there. The story doesn’t use any stereotypes and the language is simple enough for an elementary child to comprehend. This book can relate to single parenting because it overall is a story on how a boy wishes he had a father. I find this book useful for a read aloud because it gives students a chance to question if they agree/ relate to the little boys thought about his imaginative father. This book can also relate to children who might be going through the same thing at home, and wished they had a mom or dad.

[Nicole Strong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: Charlotte Zolotow’s A Father Like That tells the story of a young boy growing up without a father. Throughout the book the boy is telling his mother all the wonderful things he and his father would do if he had one. He describes the perfect relationship between him and his father. The story concludes with his mother telling him that she agrees with all of the things he has said and that in case his father never returns that there is hope for him to be that kind of father to his children someday.

Theme: We all have the chance to learn from other people’s mistakes.

Star Rating: 3 Stars

Personal Response: A Father Like That is a painfully realistic story about a child growing up in a single parent home. Although I grew up in a two parent home, I can sympathize with this story. My mother grew up without a father and always told me growing up to be appreciative of my father. I can see the impact that it has had on her life however, I think she has done just as the mother instructed in this book. My mother and father have strived to the best of their abilities to provide a loving, stable home.

Recommendation: I would recommend this book for children in the first grade to children in the third grade. I feel that this book addresses a common lifestyle present in the United States and gives hope to those children with only one parent. The book’s primary focus is how to be an outstanding parent and I believe that, that is what children should take away from this book. Each child is going to grow up and have the opportunity to become a parent and it is their decision on what type of parent they would like to be.

[Kelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

“A Father Like That” depicts a young African American boy dreaming about what his ideal father figure would be like. He does not know his father, so he’s describing for the reader what his father would act like if he had one. His mother assures him at the end of the book that although he does not have a father figure in his life, he can be the father he described in the future.

This book coincides with my topic of families, and would be extremely relatable to a lot of students who do not know their fathers, and coincidentally go through some of the same thoughts the book describes. The genre of this book is Realistic Fiction and it appropriate for children in Kindergarten through Third Grade.

This book meets a decent amount of criteria for a quality children's picture book. The story is interesting to children, it offers children a variety of things to think about, it is age appropriate and children can understand what is represented, it utilizes a style and language that is appropriate for the children's ages and interests, an it includes realistic and convincing characters. The illustrations are accurate, they correspond to the text, they hold the children's interest, and they enhance and add to the story. The characters in the book represent one culture group, but the children are exposed to a different perspective. The lifestyles of the characters are genuine and complex, the characters use speech that is accurate, and there is diversity represented within the cultural groups.

[Samantha Hagler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This narrative is a sad, but hopeful story about a young boy with a single parent, his mother. The young boy, whose name is not mentioned, is the narrator of this story and describes to his mother in detail what his father would be like if he were still around (ex. "If he were here, we'd leave the house together every day"). His father left him before he was born, so it is just his mother raising him. Although the author, Charlotte Zolotow, was not raised by a single parent, she did a wonderful job writing this story through the eyes of a young boy longing for a father figure in his life. The illustrator, Ben Shecter, uses detailed pictures on each page that describe the scenes perfectly, and would make it easy for a child to follow along and understand what is going on. As a teacher, I would use this book to help teach about diverse families, and in this case, about single parent families. I think that this would be one great tool to use to spark a discussion between the students. Some kids will be able to relate and some kids will not, but it would be a great teaching moment that would help describe all the different families that there are in this world. This book definitely touches your heart, but I love the way Zolotow ended the book. When the young boy was done describing his father, his mother’s response in the end resonates hope and wisdom: “...in case he never comes, just remember when you grow up, you can be a father like that yourself!"

[Elizabeth Mcdonough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zolotow, Charlotte (1973). A Father like That. New York: Harper & Row Publishing.

Subgroup:

Living with parents separately: Raised by a single parent and/or Divorced Parents
Genre:
Fiction
Topics:
A boy living with a single mom
Synopsis:
This is the story of a young boy who has a single mom. His father went away before he was born. He is telling his mom what he wishes his father would be like:
Walk him to the bus every day
Eat dinner as a family
Do the dishes as a family
Play checkers before bedtime
Read a bedtime story
Never call me a sissy if I cried
Talk to me when I am having a nightmare
Be on my side if things went wrong
Know all my friends by name
Wrestle and watch baseball together

At the end his mom tells him that this kind of father sounds great and if he never shows up, when you grow up you can be a father like that yourself. The pictures throughout the book show how special of a bond the boy and his mother have. He loves his mom very much but still wishes he had a father in his life. I think this is a great book for children because it shows young boys that it is okay that they wish they had a father and it will not hurt their mothers' feelings. I also like how the mom makes a lesson out of the boys dreams. She explains to him that when he grows up, he can be a father like that.

[Megan Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

In A Father Like That, Charlotte Zolotow paints a gentle picture of a young boy who imagines what his life would be like if he had a father. It is clear that this boy's father has never been a part of his life, and he describes his "perfect father" to his mother. The revised edition is illustrated by LeUyen Pham. She does an excellent job of painting an urban setting, and keeping the illustrations on a sad topic lighthearted and warm. The ending of the story is absolutely perfect. After her son describes his father to her, Mom says "And in case he never comes, just remember when you grow up, you can be a father like that yourself!" I feel like that is such a wise ending to the story. Sadly, many children are raised without knowing one of their parents, and these children often repeat the cycle. If I taught this book to children, I would spend time talking about the last statement his mother made and what it means to them.

[Leonie Atherton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very heart warming story about a young boy who is trying to imagine what his father would be like if he were around. He imagines the things he would do with his father and how well they would get along. Its a very real situation that many children are growing up in a household where their fathers aren't around. I think to read this story aloud in a classroom setting may be a little too close to home for some children and possibly quite upsetting. I also think that the role of the mother in the story is a little overlooked and it may have been worth stating the importance of the boys mother. The illustrations really reflect the tone of the story and very well suited to the story. This story might be a nice story to look at alongside R.E or P.S.H.E when children are looking at the importance of family but may be better suited to independent reading. I think this book is suitable for independent reading for children between the ages of 7 and 11.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Father Like That
Written By: Charlotte Zolotow
Illustrated By: LeUyen Pham

Fountas & Pinnell: E
Book Level: 1st Grade

Book Summary: This book’s about a little boy who’s telling his mom what his dad would be like if he was there with them. The last thing the mom says is pretty powerful.

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction and Picture Book
This is a contemporary realistic fiction because it’s about a boy, who appears to live in a city based on the illustrations, who’s imagined what his dad would be like if he was around.
This is a picture book because the illustrations that accompany every page.

Bookshelf Mentor Writing Traits:
Voice: The story is told through the eyes of a young boy who’s never meet his dad and is written like he’d speak.

This would be a great addition to a series of books about families for kindergarteners or first graders.

[Clairissa D · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a young who lives in a single parent household with his mother.Throughout the story the little is explaining to his mother the type of father that he would like to have. The main characters in this book are the little boy and his mother. I believe this is a realistic fiction. This book would be good for the classroom because it illustrates a single parent household from a different and allows the students and teachers to understand what a fellow student or classmate may be feeling because they live in a single parent household.To engage my students using this book I would I would explain why this little boy is feeling this way and then discuss why this type of family is still important and that it should still be valued.

[Michelle Marcano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zolotow, Charlotte, and Ben Shecter. A Father like That. New York: Harper & Row, 1971.

Subgroup: Single parent families

Genre: Fiction

Topics: Single parent homes, Families

Synopsis: A young boy whose father left when he was a little boy begins to think about what it would be like to have a father. he describes what he portrays as the perfect man. The boy tell his mother that his father would never call him a sissy if he cried and he could read him bedtime stories every might. At the end of the book the boys mother encourages him to be that man he has imagined one day when he is a parent. Through the illustrations the readers are able to see that the boy and his mother have a very special bond but even so the boy still wishes he had his father in his life as well.

[babyhippoface · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little boy tells his mother about all the things he would do with his father, if he had one. Many children will instantly recognize and identify with the yearning the boy feels. His mother’s response in the end resonates hope and wisdom: “...in case he never comes, just remember when you grow up, you can be a father like that yourself!” Pham’s realistic watercolor illustrations shine, bringing the boy’s dream to life. Every elementary library needs to pass this message on to the young boys it serves.

[Kelly Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is good for ages 2nd grade through 5th. I would recommend this book to all boys and girls who may not have a father not in their life. This book allows the reader to come on the journey of the characters imagination. My father was not always in my life. I would imagine things he would do for me and my brothers. As I grew older, I realized that I would want a husband that I would raise the children in the way a father is suppose to raise them. Respectful, responsible and safe are done traits that inform children about.

[Melody Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A boy fantasizes about what it would be like if he had a father. In the beginning he explains that his daddy went away before he was born, but if he were here these are the things he would do. Despite not actually having his father present, this boy can imagine every detail of what his father would do for him. In the end his mother encourages the boy to become everything he ever wished his father would be. It is very hard for those children growing up in single family households, this book shows children they can overcome whatever they go through and become anyone they want to.

[Gabriella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written by Charlotte Zolotow and illustrated by LeUyen Pham, this book follows narratives as told by a young boy. Although he is fatherless and has never met his father, he dreams of the father he would like. The things they would do together and how his father would treat him. From daily encounters to being sick in bed, he imagines how a father should act. This tale ends with the mother making a powerful statement of truth, although the boy does not have a father, he should hope to be a father that he imagines one day.