大嗓门爸爸

by Philip Waechter

Once upon a time there was a little girl named Helena. Her life was almost perfect. Only one thing spoiled it. Helena's father was too loud!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Philip Waechter (* 1968 in Frankfurt am Main) Is a German Illustrator and Author of Children's books:

Waechter 1968 son of the artist and cartoonist K. F. Waechter born. At the Fachhochschule Mainz He studied Communication Design with a focus on illustration. Since 1995 he published illustrated children's books. Philip Waechter is a freelance graphic designer and illustrator in Frankfurt am Main since 1999 and worked with other illustrators in the studio community LABOR.

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helena's father is a SHOUTER. Her mother tells her that being a SHOUTER runs in the family, and that she may someday become one herself. And, so, Helena leaves home and goes to live with a total stranger. In the end, she learns that shouting can sometimes be a good thing, but there's no real resolution to the problematic rift with her parents.

This is definitely NOT the feel-good read of the decade.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really interesting and well produced book, from the endpapers to the writing to the design and illustration. The book discusses an issue I've not yet seen in a picture book. The father is a 'shouter' and the child decides to reject this way of being and to not follow on with the family pattern of growing up to be a shouter too. It's not clear whether the 'shouter' is actively abusive in any other way, but this is perfect. The reader can extrapolate to apply the story to a number of forms of actual abuse within the family, or simply take it on face value as being about a man who can't keep his voice down. It's a great book to use for opening a discussion, and models the empowerment of a child of indeterminate age (well depicted through cats instead of humans).

I liked the way the book ends with a friendly re-connection between father and child, wherein the child retains her ground and her decision to be apart, but the relationship is restored on grounds that are acceptable and safe to the child. This is all very beautifully explained by means of the final illustration, about 5cm high. Well done Waechter and Port. (It's unclear which is the illustrator, as both are trained graphic artists living in Germany.) And well done Sally-Ann Spencer for your translation :-)

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Father's annoying trait is his very loud voice, which turns out to be welcome when his final BRAVO can be so easily heard. I'm not comfortable with the pattern that his "loud" voice was also consistently critical/complaining/nagging. The daughter is uncomfortable having him in public because he is a "shouter", but the message is confusing volume with attitude/message.

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking for a book on listening and this wasn't quite it. Plus, I didn't get to see enough to prove to me that her dad learned to not be a shouter. Because if he didn't learn that, I worry what kids will walk away with after reading about a shouting father and everyone just accepting it.

[Raquel Curvacheiro · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book could be a great one... had it not the little girl running away from home and asking for shelter at some unknown people's home! Not the best exemple to give to children, I would think!