Our Shed: A Father-Daughter Building Story

A father with pale skin and brown hair teaches his creative, tan-skinned daughter woodworking skills as the duo builds a shed in their backyard over the course of three days. Through a first-person perspective and simple, straightforward prose, Broder follows the project, including steps such as checking boards for warping and how to guide and use a saw. Imaginative interludes charm while hammering home the narrator's youth and the duo's close relationship: "The daddy-dragon roars as if he's breathing fire... After defeating the beast, I hand Dad the nails when he asks for them. I check the boards with the level to make sure everything is straight." O'Neill adds dynamic dot-eyed humans in a gentle color palette that features a recurring pink dragon motif. Late-narrative time lapses feel slightly jarring, but this sweet parent-child story effectively celebrates hands-on intergenerational collaboration. Ages 5-7. (May)

Gr 2-4--While there are a plethora of books introducing tools and building to the young reader, there are few where the plot revolves around a father-daughter DIY combo. The warmth of their relationship makes this book worth reading. Dad decides they need a storage shed so he and his daughter begin by drawing plans. His includes measurements and materials while hers includes a dragon. The materials are clear both in the drawings and the text and the realistic steps to bringing the shed to life are just what any builder would use. Throughout, facts and imagination come together to finish the project and the dragon appears in the ultimate painting of the shed. There is a shift, however, from the present to the future; the art depicting the aging of the characters and shed make it work. Father and daughter concur that the shed looks a little crooked, despite all their attempts at leveling, but that crooked is OK. VERDICT For libraries looking for a warm story of a father-daughter team working on a building project together, this is a good choice.--Joan Kindig, James Madison Univ., Harrisonburg, VA

This dad is a welcome role model for father figures everywhere.—Kirkus Reviews, starred

This charming story, which includes helpful real-life tips for building, is a warm-hearted depiction of a father-daughter bond that grows along with their project.—The Mighty Girl