7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #591: Featuring Soosh

h1 June 17th, 2018 by jules


“With Dad by my side,
there’s nothing we can’t do.”


 

In honor of Father’s Day, here’s a peek inside Dad By My Side (Little, Brown, May 2018), written and illustrated by Soosh. Soosh is a self-taught artist from Europe (from a “country that doesn’t exist anymore,” she writes in the book’s closing author’s note), and this is her debut picture book.

This is a series of illustrations of a young girl and her father, spending their days together — the girl noting the many ways in which her father makes her feel safe and comforted. Soosh creates the girl’s father as “deliberately big,” she writes in that same author’s note …

“… much bigger than the figure of the little girl, his daughter, because this is how she sees him — and this is how many of us see our heroes or parents (which, if we are lucky, are the same thing). His beard makes me think of something ancient, strong, solid. He is someone who is there just because: to love you without any reason, unconditionally and forever. …”

Rendered via earth-toned watercolors on ample white space, we see the father-daughter pair play games together, comfort one another during tough times, act silly, cook together, and much more. The two have a tenderness between them, and much is communicated via their body language. It’s a loving tribute to the bond between a child and a father.

Here are some more illustrations . . .

 


“I make him feel better . . .”


 


“… he doesn’t miss a single lullaby,
even when he’s far from home.”


 


“He protects me from monsters under the bed.”


 


“He helps me.”


 



 

DAD BY MY SIDE. Copyright © 2018 by Soosh. Illustrations reproduced by permission of the publisher, Little, Brown and Company, New York.

Note for any new readers: 7-Imp’s 7 Kicks is a weekly meeting ground for taking some time to reflect on Seven(ish) Exceptionally Fabulous, Beautiful, Interesting, Hilarious, or Otherwise Positive Noteworthy Things from the past week, whether book-related or not, that happened to you. New kickers are always welcome.

* * * Jules’ Kicks * * *

I think I’ll keep it short and simple this week, since it’s Father’s Day. My kicks, one to seven, are spending today with my family. How about you?





5 comments to “7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #591: Featuring Soosh”

  1. We need more books about Dads. This is great. Thanks, Soosh.
    My kicks:
    1. My students.
    2. My staff.
    3. My parents.
    4. The books in the library.
    5. The library space.
    6. The person taking the helm of the library.
    7. I retired Friday.
    Have a great week.


  2. Good morning, Imps! Hello, Soosh!

    Jules: *waving to your family*

    Jone: Congratulations!!!

    My kicks from the past week:
    1) Ready
    2) Set
    3) Go
    4) Fun
    5) Simple
    6) Good taste
    7) Sights to see

    Happy Sunday, everyone!


  3. Oh, Jone. Happy happy retirement. I”m sure it’s bittersweet. I raise a glass to you!

    LW: May you enjoy the sights you see. I like your first three kicks.


  4. What a great book – the personality of the characters is so striking. Really love the book cover and the illustration of the dad braiding (fixing?) her hair while she’s in the tutu.

    Jules – hope you had a lovely day with your family!

    Jone – CONGRATULATIONS! Happy retirement!

    LW – Love kick 7 the best.

    My flyby kicks:
    1) Daisy had a small surgery this past week to remove a lump & she’s recovering nicely.
    2) My favorite of the feral cats that live in the neighborhood has gotten so she will let me pet her once or twice before she freaks out & skitters off. (I have named her Pinky Pie Nose, she is very sweet.)
    3) Time spent in other towns for work.
    4) Real thunderstorm this afternoon.
    5) Just got “Brown Girl Dreaming” by Jaqueline Woodson from the library.
    6) Marionberry muffins.
    7) Finally saw Thor Ragnarok, and really liked it.
    7.5) Making plans to see Ocean’s 8.

    Hope everyone had a good Father’s Day. Have a wonderful week!


  5. Oh, Brown Girl Dreaming. So good. Was just thinking the other day about how I want to re-read that. … Glad Daisy is recovering well. …. KITTY!

    Have a good week, you all.


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