Review: My Daddy Loves Me Showcases Bond Between Father and Son

For Father’s Day, I’m reviewing a book called My Daddy Loves Me, by Mama, Baba, and Sekou Afrika. It is a book about a boy named Sekou who one day asks the question, “Daddy, do you love me?” which turns into the stories of why Sekou’s dad loves Sekou, what he loves about Sekou, and a lot more.

For instance, Sekou’s dad says he loves Sekou because he is a gift from God, and he brings out the best in him as a dad and as a man. He also explains that he loved his son before he was even born, which is a surprise to Sekou.

I noticed Sekou’s bedroom had a lot of posters of powerful black men like Malcom X, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Marcus Garvey.  And on one page when the father and son were riding a train, there was  sign that said “The Elijah McCoy.” (I had to look up who Marcus Garvey and Elijah McCoy were.)

I liked this book because I have read lots of books about moms loving their daughters, but this book is about a dad loving his son. I also liked that the dad was very nice and appreciated his son’s curiosity about love instead of just saying, “Yes, I love you,” and going on with his day. He spent a lot of time explaining his love for Sekou.

I recommend this book to younger boys for their dads to read the book to them. When dads read the book, it might inspire them to spend even more time doing things their sons enjoy.

There are tips for fathers at the end of the book and also some Kiswahili words like Baba, which means “father.” Jambo means “hello” and Ninakupenda means “I love you.”

I give this book 3/4 roses.