My epic Dad! Goes extreme by Dani Vee and Marina Verola

Dad is itching to do something new. He is sick of the zoo, and wants the kids to get away from eating popcorn by the television.  He encourages them to follow him up the wall, to try out Parkour, just like him. The first attempt sees him slip and bump into a tree. He runs flat out and runs through a wall. Dazed he picks himself up and asks the kids what he can try next.  He jumps onto a board to try out skateboarding, how hard can it be?  But he of course, lands in a very smelly bin. He just brushes himself off and looks for a scooter. And his next accident is coming off the motorised scooter. He brushes off the children’s worries, telling them that he is OK.

Next he tries dirt bikes, certain that he will recall his youth when he was adept at tricks with a dirt bike. Unsurprisingly he lands on his back, but this does not deter him at all. Rock climbing is the next event to be tried. He climbs the rock wall, but finds an eagle at the top intent on moving the intruder and so he lands in the rose garden

While in hospital he thinks of all the other things he could try: a jet ski, or hang gliding, or parachuting, but back home, encased in plaster, he is confined to the couch where he has no choice but to watch with the kids as his attempts to be epic go viral.

A wonderfully funny look at fathers trying to be epic with their kids. Showing off with attempts at everything, he models the virtue of trying again, of attempting something that may be scary, of trying and trying again, of not giving up. All these virtues are ones to be aimed for, so will be great to discuss with a group of kids. They will be amazed at the tings Dad gets up to, despite failing so epically at things he tries.

Children will laugh out land at the things Dad tries and the end product of his attempts. He is spectacularly inept, always splendidly confident and superbly Dad.

A loving tribute to the lengths dads will go to work with their kids, providing a mentor and model for their fun.

Similarly wonderful illustrations show Dad doing his best in front of his kids, ending in many slips all shown with great fun.This is the third book in a series about the epic dad, after My epic dad takes us camping and My epic dad takes us fishing, all triggering much laughter from the target audience.

Themes: Adventure, Fathers, Fathers and sons, Verse, Determination.

Fran Knight