The touching plot is enhanced by Jakub Kuzma's standout illustrations. The characters are unusually expressive; subtle nuances like raised eyebrows and sly sidelong glances are captured expertly on the page and give remarkable depth to the story. The drawings use light, movement, and shadows brilliantly, and there's so much going on in each picture (from Poppa's mismatched socks to the antics of the family cat) that a young reader will be compelled to reach for this colorful book again and again.

In a market flooded with tired plot variations of how mothers love their children, this will be a welcome find for dads seeking a special book to read to their little girls. I recommend Alena & the Favorite Thing as a good addition to the libraries of today's dads and daughters.

The above review was contributed by: Jennifer MacKay: Jenny has published hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles. She is also a journals copy editor for Sage Publications and does independent consulting as a developmental book editor. Her chief writing and editing interests are in the juvenile market.

"It was another gloomy, doomy, icky-awful, rainy, yucky, gray and puddly, no-good low down day... and Alena was bored."

So begins the search for Poppa's Favorite Thing. But how is Alena supposed to help Poppa find his favorite thing when he doesn't even remember what it is? After searching the basement, the closet under the stairs, and her playroom, Alena is certain they will never find Poppa's favorite thing. But sometimes things can be found in unexpected places, and this is a lesson Alena is about to take to heart.

Alena and the Favorite Thing is a delightful picture book. The witty writing is paired with hilarious illustrations, which makes the book worth reading just by themselves. Add to that mix a great message about parental love, and you've got a great book on your hands.

A. Feller
POD Princess
Originally posted on www.yabookscentral.com