My dad thinks he's a scream by Katrina Germein. Illus. by Tom Jellett

Katrina Germein and Tom Jellett have once again provided another humorous and entertaining book to add the ever-growing ‘My dad..’ collection. This series is very popular in school libraries with children who love ‘Dad jokes’, with this latest edition all about Halloween and Dad’s attempt to be funny.

As the family prepare for trick or treating, Dad, dressed as a ghost, has already started on the jokes. To his wife who is a mummy, he says '…you look rotten. Perhaps you should sit in the living room?' To the narrator, his son, he says, 'You used to be small but now…you gruesome?' The jokes are flying fast and furiously on this Halloween evening.  As the family walk past the cemetery, dad comes out with some very amusing puns:

'Look!...The dead centre of town.
People are dying just to get in.
They are so dead-icated!
It’s a great place for stories, so many plots.'

Throughout this engaging book, the jokes dad comes up with will keep young readers guessing. They are witty and clever and his son, who has probably heard more jokes than he needs to, repeatedly says 'My dad thinks he’s a scream.'

This close family has a great time out together on Halloween and the bold and bright illustrations add so much to the enjoyment of the text. The colourful images on the endpapers will delight children with many sweet favourites such as lolly teeth, chocolate freckles and lolly snakes appearing amongst them.

A perfect book for families to share with Father’s Day and Halloween coming up.

Themes: Halloween, Fathers, Family, Relationships, Humour.

Kathryn Beilby