Parents and children will both enjoy engaging with this book, presented in Negley’s unique style where words are minimal and the emotive illustrations really carry the story along.
Keith Negley's playful and emotional art
tells this story of a new father who is no longer the cool guy he once
was. He looks back wistfully on his crazy times playing in a band,
riding a motorcycle, and getting tattoos. Those days may be behind him,
but his young son still thinks he's the coolest guy in the world.
Keith Negley is an award-winning editorial illustrator with a penchant for emotionally driven illustration. He's been published in a wide range of major newspapers and national magazines, and is a frequent contributor to the New York Times and New Yorker. He lives in the mountains of Bellingham, Washington, surrounded by rain forests and giant spiders. This is his second book for Flying Eye, following Tough Guys Have Feelings Too!
To believe that your own parents are “boring” or “typical” is a pretty common thought amongst children. Unless your parent is a spy or superhero, you aren’t going to refer to them as “cool.” And why would you?
Keith Negley’s book, My Dad Used to Be so Cool, illustrates the dynamic between a son and his father. The story is told from the son’s point of view as we journey through his fantasies of what his father used to be like when he was younger. Through descriptive illustrations and minimal word usage, a world that we are all too familiar with is created. The son sees his father doing laundry and vacuuming just like every other child has seen their parent do. Nothing particularly “cool” about those daily tasks, right? The son begs the question, “What happened?” A life event changed the father from a tattooed rock and roll super star to a laundry-folding dad. What was it? The answer – his son.
Negley perfectly demonstrates the sacrifices a parent makes for
their child, but how beautiful those sacrifices really are. This story
opened my eyes to how “cool” my own parents actually are. At 18 years
old, I am not a parent but I can honestly say that the daily struggles
and chores that any parent deals with are nothing short of remarkable.
This is a truly heart-warming tale and I would strongly recommend that not only children read this book but adults as well. The story is a solid reminder to appreciate our parents and if you are a parent, congratulate yourself because you are awesome. I look forward to my child asking me, “Did you use to be cool?” I’ll laugh and smile. “You know, I was never that cool anyway.” – Madeline Shapiro
Keith Negley is an award-winning editorial illustrator with a penchant for emotionally driven illustration. He's been published in a wide range of major newspapers and national magazines, and is a frequent contributor to the New York Times and New Yorker. He lives in the mountains of Bellingham, Washington, surrounded by rain forests and giant spiders. This is his second book for Flying Eye, following Tough Guys Have Feelings Too!
To believe that your own parents are “boring” or “typical” is a pretty common thought amongst children. Unless your parent is a spy or superhero, you aren’t going to refer to them as “cool.” And why would you?
Keith Negley’s book, My Dad Used to Be so Cool, illustrates the dynamic between a son and his father. The story is told from the son’s point of view as we journey through his fantasies of what his father used to be like when he was younger. Through descriptive illustrations and minimal word usage, a world that we are all too familiar with is created. The son sees his father doing laundry and vacuuming just like every other child has seen their parent do. Nothing particularly “cool” about those daily tasks, right? The son begs the question, “What happened?” A life event changed the father from a tattooed rock and roll super star to a laundry-folding dad. What was it? The answer – his son.
This is a truly heart-warming tale and I would strongly recommend that not only children read this book but adults as well. The story is a solid reminder to appreciate our parents and if you are a parent, congratulate yourself because you are awesome. I look forward to my child asking me, “Did you use to be cool?” I’ll laugh and smile. “You know, I was never that cool anyway.” – Madeline Shapiro
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