Review and GIVEAWAY!! - Shopping with Dad by Matt Harvey

When Sprout joined our family (more than two years ago now - how on earth is that possible??), we were fortunate to have a full month together at home to bond as a family. Those were great days, or at least I think they were. It's kind of a blur, to be honest, probably because we were all more than a little sleep-deprived. But soon that honeymoon period was over and I had to head back to work, leaving Sprout and his daddy home together for another six weeks.

Frankly, I think we were all terrified.

Undaunted, my darling husband set about incorporating Sprout into our everyday routine. This meant that if there were errands to do, the boys were out and about doing them. It wasn't easy - Jake had to figure out how to navigate a busy store with his wheechair and a little one along - but they got creative. They always had an interesting story for Mommy at the end of the day. And to this day they are shopping buddies, with the weekend likely to find them headed to Costco and Target after swim lessons or a trip to the park.

So when our friend Liz of Barefoot Books offered to sponsor our first giveaway here on Sprout's Bookshelf, it seemed pretty fitting that the book was Shopping with Dad by Matt Harvey.

Sprout was delighted to read this lively picture book about a young girl taking a trip to the store with her dad. Mom makes a list with some pretty zany ingredients (Sprout's favorite: octopus underpants!) and the pair heads through the aisles trying to find everything. But when the little girl is overtaken by a sneeze -- a HUGE sneeze to be precise -- the whole store is suddenly in an uproar. And worst of all, everyone's pointing the finger at Dad for causing all the trouble. Oh no! Will our heroine be brave enough to own up to her part in the mess? And will they ever get their shopping done??

Where to begin with all the things we love about Shopping with Dad. . . for starters, there's the adorable illustrations by Miriam Latimer, bursting with fun and so much energy, just like the preschooler who narrates the tale. (And if you've ever shopped with a three-year-old, you'll recognize a few of the scenarios in this book!) I love all the fun details included in the background - the mouse that peeks into several spreads, the dog running amok with his owner right behind. The multiracial cast of characters is fantastic, and includes people of all ages too. Our heroine's family is transracial, but that's beside the point of the action, which makes the book all the stronger for my mind. And the rhyme scheme is generally pretty cohesive (it does get sticky in a few points), but the big sneeze in the middle is what kids will really love, especially if you put all your best effort into it.

Want a copy of Shopping with Dad for your own library? We just happen to be GIVING AWAY a copy to one lucky reader. Enter using the form below. This contest is open to readers with United States addresses only (sorry, international friends!). Hurry, the contest ends Sunday, August 5th at 12:01 am EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't want to take your chances on the contest? You can purchase a copy of Shopping for Dad for yourself from our friend Liz at Barefoot Books. They have so many other wonderful titles too - many of their books are multicultural in theme and feature not only loads of diversity but also great content!

Best of all, if you order using this link (also posted above) between now and the end of August, 20% of the proceeds of your purchase will be donated to the Tesfa Foundation, an amazing organization that is right now fundraising for their 5x3 Initiative, aiming to build 5 schools in Ethiopia in the next 3 years. What could be better than that?? Get some awesome new books and help kids in Ethiopia at the same time!

Shopping with Dad by Matt Harvey, published by Barefoot Books
Source: provided by publisher for our review (but this review represents our true and honest opinion of this title)
Ages: 3-6
Sample: "My Mom made a list and she gave it to us, To me and my Dad, and we went on the bus. / We got off the bus at the stop by the shop, Dad found us a cart and then -- / WHOOSH! We were off."
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