Review sponsored* by Gabriela Arellano
The Children’s Book Review | December 16, 2016
Written by Gabriela Arellano
Illustrations by Gustavo Mazali
Age Range: 3 – 6 years
Paperback: 30
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 978-1534903258
What to expect: Long-distance parenting, Emotions
When Dad’s Away/Cuando Papá está lejos is a touching tale of a little boy who struggles to understand the reasons behind his father’s months-long absence. Little Kena wakes up one morning to find that it’s time to go to the airport to pick up his father. Along the way, Kena asks his mother why his father doesn’t come home every day, like his friends’ dads. His mother explains that his father works on an oil rig, way out in the sea, and can only come home once in a while. Little Kena wants to be happy that his father has returned but he can’t quite process his feelings and starts to feel angry that his father isn’t around all the time.
Author Gabriela Arellano writes a moving story that deals with the feelings of uncertainty and loss that can arise when a loved one is far away for a long time. Kena greatly misses his father but he fears that his father doesn’t miss him the same way. This anxiety threatens to ruin their reunion but Kena’s father finds a way to show Kena how much he loves him, no matter where he is. The simple line drawings carefully depict the love that exists between father and son and the tension that can sometimes occur, even in the most loving relationships.
Written in both English and Spanish, When Dad’s Away/Cuando Papá está lejos is well suited as a read-aloud book for younger children, especially when trying to convey the idea that parents love their children no matter where they are.
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About the Author
Author Gabriela Arellano was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she studied Majors in Literature and Law. Currently she teaches Spanish in a Montessori school grades 1-12, in Nevada.
About the Illustrator
Illustrator Gustavo Mazali began his 20-year career as a cartoonist. Since 1998 he has been devoted children’s books. He has collaborated on titles that have been published and reprinted by Scholastic, Usborne Publishing and Editorial Planeta, among many other publishers.
Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. Gabriela Arellano, the author of “When Dad’s Away/Cuando Papá está lejos,” sponsored* this non-biased review. Learn more about getting a book review …