Family reading from a father's voice is an area of children's books that I feel has been overlooked. My book, Checking up on Daddy, reveals a jubilant and endearing concept in literature for children ages two to four years. Checking up on Daddywas spawned by the "handoff" that many dads experience upon their return home from a long workday. For those who may not know, the handoff is the moment when tired Mom meets Dad at the front door to pass the child along. During the first year in caring for my son, Ethan, the handoff was accompanied by a rhythmic verse my wife would chant while following me around the house. At the very core, this story embraces the magic of those fleeting moments one experiences with an infant before the next stage of childhood arrives.

My images combine a traditional, off-beat pen-and-ink style for line quality with digital ink and color. This unique style serves to illuminate the warmth and lighthearted energy of the story and its characters.

My son's love for books is testimony to how vital the ritual of family reading is in the fledgling years of child development. It is my hope that Checking up on Daddywill inspire parents to seize those passing yet vital moments with their children.

Adam J. Roth is a Southern California-based writer and illustrator. His goal is to promote family together time through reading. He has produced work in various forms of media, including TV animation, DVD key art for feature film, and published book illustrations. He is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and presently lives in Pasadena with his wife and son.

Adam Roth has created a book that captures the joys and overwhelming love of a parent for their child. It should be a "must read" for new parents. Not just for themselves, but for them to read to the children. It will help demonstrate just how much this love bonds families together. The story has humor, but it also has the magic of parent/child relations. It is a very important book for families to read together.