My Dad Used to Be So Cool so what the heck happened?

See sample pages from this book at Wink.

My Dad Used to Be So Cool
by Keith Negley
Flying Eye Books
2016, 48 pages, 9.1 x 10.7 x 0.4 inches
$11 Buy a copy on Amazon

To believe that your own parents are boring or typical is a pretty common thought amongst children. Unless your parent is a spy or superhero, you arent going to refer to them as cool. And why would you?

Keith Negleys book, My Dad Used to Be so Cool, illustrates the dynamic between a son and his father. The story is told from the sons point of view as we journey through his fantasies of what his father used to be like when he was younger. Through descriptive illustrations and minimal word usage, a world that we are all too familiar with is created. The son sees his father doing laundry and vacuuming just like every other child has seen their parent do. Nothing particularly cool about those daily tasks, right? The son begs the question, What happened? A life event changed the father from a tattooed rock and roll super star to a laundry-folding dad. What was it? The answer his son.

Negley perfectly demonstrates the sacrifices a parent makes for their child, but how beautiful those sacrifices really are. This story opened my eyes to how cool my own parents actually are. At 18 years old, I am not a parent but I can honestly say that the daily struggles and chores that any parent deals with are nothing short of remarkable.

This is a truly heart-warming tale and I would strongly recommend that not only children read this book but adults as well. The story is a solid reminder to appreciate our parents and if you are a parent, congratulate yourself because you are awesome. I look forward to my child asking me, Did you use to be cool? Ill laugh and smile. You know, I was never that cool anyway. Madeline Shapiro