Book Review of Dada Takes a Trip
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The Children’s Book Review
Dada Takes a Trip
Written by Cory Allen
Illustrated by Marina Ostanik
Ages: 3-5 | 26 Pages
Publisher: Cory Allen Books (2026) | ISBN: 979-8993601007
What to Expect: Parenthood, separation, anxiety, reassurance, travel.
Written especially for toddlers who worry when their daddies need to travel, this picture book offers comfort about the things that matter most—especially assurances of love and a return very soon.
Dada has to go on a trip, and soon he’ll leave with his suitcase packed to get on the airplane and fly far away. When will he be back, you ask? Don’t worry, he’ll be back very soon. In the meantime, there are important things to remember. Dada will miss your smiles, giggles, playtime, and bedtime fun while he’s away. All the time he’s away, he’ll be thinking about you—and wishing you were there with him. It’s okay to cry but know that Dada will be home again soon—because he loves you so much!
The language is short, simple, and rhyming, perfect for very young readers and with a soothing cadence that works well with the story’s mission to reassure anxious readers. The artwork fills each page with images of father and child that acknowledge and emphasize the mixed emotions that come with separation, helping readers to know their own feelings are seen and validated.
Perfect for sharing just before a trip, Dada Takes a Trip lets readers know that even when you are far away, you are always right there with them.
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About the Author
After spending his career as a police officer, a Special Agent for the U.S. Secret Service and, more recently, a Supervisory Special Agent, Cory Allen realized he had some compelling tales to share. His first book, an emotional, ground-breaking memoir titled Breaking Free: A Saga of Self-Discovery by a Gay Secret Service Agent was released in 2023 to great acclaim. Cory wrote his newest work, an illustrated children’s book called Dada Takes a Trip (releasing February 2026), to help children and adults navigate the difficult and complicated feelings experienced when a parent leaves home on a work trip. Dada Takes a Trip is published by Cory’s latest venture, his own publishing company: Cory Allen Books.
For more information, visit CoryAllenBooks.com.
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