Tell Me a Tattoo Story

by Alison McGhee (Author) Eliza Wheeler (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
A bestselling author-illustrator duo join forces to create a modern father-son love story. The father tells his little son the story behind each of his tattoos, and together they go on a beautiful journey through family history. There's a tattoo from a favorite book his mother used to read him, one from something his father used to tell him, and one from the longest trip he ever took. And there is a little heart with numbers inside--which might be the best tattoo of them all. Tender pictures by New York Times bestselling illustrator Eliza Wheeler complement this lovely ode to all that's indelible--ink and love.
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Kirkus

Love that is skin-deep.

Publishers Weekly

A preschooler is fascinated by his father's elaborate tattoos and the personal history behind them. A dragon tattoo prompts Dad to recall how his mother would read him a beloved book "over and over." A desert scene takes Dad back to his military service ("the longest trip I ever took"), when he and a line of grunts trudged across a sun-baked landscape. But Dad and his "little man" agree that their favorite tattoo is a small heart, right over the man's real heart, which contains his son's birth date. Wheeler's (Wherever You Go) cutaways to the past are evocative and imaginatively framed, but McGhee's (The Case of the Missing Donut) decision to give Dad the only voice in the book--he's both the storyteller and articulator of his son's questions ("What do you mean, this one's your favorite?")--may leave readers wondering why the boy isn't speaking for himself. Regardless, the premise and pictures make this a deeply touching story--and with its ink-proud, scruffily handsome paterfamilias, it's right on trend as well. Ages 3-5. Author's agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. Illustrator's agent: Jennifer Rofe, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (Apr.)

Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 1—This is a story about how a young boy learns all about his father's life when he asks to see his tattoos. McGhee sets the stage for a fun read. The boy, "little man," first wants to hear about the dragon tattoo on his dad's right shoulder. The text explains that this winged creature is from a favorite childhood book. An accompanying illustration shows a picture of Dad as a young child sitting on his mom's lap in a country pasture underneath laundry flapping in the breeze, while listening intently to the book. The pen-and-ink illustrations look like they could be tattoos. Wheeler adeptly captures Dad's special family bonds. His forearm bears the mantra "Be Kind." The accompanying illustration shows Dad as a young boy with his father rescuing a baby bird that fell from its nest. Artwork complements the story well. Text is simple and lends itself to discussion. The story continues with the milestones in Dad's life via the tattoos. On his right upper arm, Dad has an intricate pattern that includes flowers, marking the importance of meeting his wife (the boy's mom). Another design on his side represents service overseas in the military. Of course, there is a tiny little heart with a date, which not surprisingly marks his son's birthday. The tattoos tell a story about the life of a father who loves his family. VERDICT The tender story will resonate with young audiences. The cultural relevance of the tattoo phenomena is a plus.—Robin Sofge, Alexandria Library, VA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"A love story between father and son."—Scary Mommy
Alison McGhee
Alison McGhee is the New York Times bestselling author of Someday, as well as Dear Sister, What I Leave Behind, Pablo and Birdy, Where We Are, Maybe a Fox with Kathi Appelt, Firefly Hollow, Little Boy, So Many Days, Star Bright, A Very Brave Witch, Dear Brother, and the Bink and Gollie books. Her other children's books include All Rivers Flow to the Sea, Countdown to Kindergarten, and Snap!. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Laguna Beach, California. You can visit her at AlisonMcGhee.com.

Harry Bliss is an award-winning, nationally syndicated cartoonist and cover artist for the New Yorker. He is the illustrator of the New York Times bestselling books A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech and Diary of a Worm and Diary of a Spider, both written by Doreen Cronin. Mr. Bliss lives with his family in northern Vermont.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781452119373
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Chronicle Books
Publication date
April 20, 2016
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV013060 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Parents
JUV003000 - Juvenile Fiction | Art & Architecture
Library of Congress categories
Fathers and sons
Tattooing

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