Walking with Dad

"Great book celebrating the little moments in life that seem to stick with you. I read this with my second graders and it went very well. Before I read it to them I chose some vocabulary words from the book that were new to them and prepared some writing and spelling exercises for afterwards. After we read the book we had a great discussion about making memories. Why spending time with friends and family is important for making memories, even if it seems uneventful. This book made us look at the simple interactions in life, a bit differently and also allowed me to revisit some beautiful memories of my own. I used it in class and it was good, but I would say the poetic style of writing and mellow tone makes it especially perfect for a bedtime story. Definitely a great addition to any children's bookshelf!" childrensbookshelf (Canada), April 24,2023

"I stumbled across this book when I was searching the library database for 'Dad' books for Father's Day. It's by an author who used to live in Helsby (where we used to live) but now lives in the US. It's not often you get the chance to read something by people who used to be very local. Mr MoaB read this book to the kids last night as it's about making memories doing simple everyday things like going for walks and reading bedtime stories something he does do a lot of with the kids. The story uses some great words for the rhyming text like 'refrain', 'counterpane' and 'to wane' which we discussed with the kids. I'm really glad I came across this book." Mummy on a Budget (MoaB), July 12, 2023

[Andrew's book is a] poem about walking with his dad, Bob, in Helsby, and beautifully illustrated by Graeme... The book is called "Walking with Dad" and is a delight. Helsby News, Autumn 2023

"Walking with Dad is a children's book written by Andrew Abel and illustrated by Graeme Holding. Written in rhyme and from the author's mindset, Walking with Dad discusses how exploring one's surroundings can bring back many memories of walking with one's dad during younger years. The sounds of animals and trains, or hearing his dad whistling as he walked always made him smile. He remembers his dad reading bedtime stories that had pirates, dragons, or mermaids, or watching him make beautiful things with his hands using woodwork and carpentry. In the garden, he'd watch as new tomatoes had grown, along with the fruit trees and flowers outside. So many things brought back such wonderful memories, like petting a horse's mane or watching the wild rabbits at sunset. All those memories are precious and will be with him forever.

Andrew Abel's heartfelt book about his memories of his dad, accompanied by the beautiful illustrations of Graeme Holding, truly tugged on my heartstrings. It is moving how much we remember the little things when our loved ones pass, and the amazing things that trigger those precious memories are worth more than all the gold in the world. Whether creating something new with their hands, nurturing nature in the garden, or watching the beauty surrounding us, dads are special to so many children and when they are gone, we truly feel it. Walking with Dad contains many words that may be quite new to young readers, and it is great to have a book that ends with the meanings of all those potentially new words explained to said readers. I recommend Walking with Dad to be read by all, young or old, as such perfect memories should be forever cherished." Reviewed by Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite