My Father Always Embarrasses Me (English and Hebrew Edition)

Mortimer finds that everything his father does embarrasses him until the day he enters a baking contest in Mortimer's class

Kindergarten-Grade 2-- Mortimer's mother is a TV reporter. His father, a writer, stays home with Mortimer and constantly embarrasses him. The man crawls around on all fours at the swimming pool, runs the wrong way when he plays football, and it's so hard to get him out of bed in the morning that Mortimer is often late for school. His humiliation at his father's childlike behavior comes to an end when Dad wins first prize in a baking contest at school. This attractive book has large-print text and colorful watercolor cartoons on every page. One sympathizes with Mortimer all the way; however, the ending, with a magical cake wiping out all embarrassment and making Mortimer proud of his father, is pat and contrived. --Ruth Shire, Mount Vernon Public Library, NY
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Young Mortimer Dunne has a problem. He's proud of his mother--a TV reporter--but his writer father "does nothing--only hammers away at the typewriter and embarrasses his son." Furthermore, Dad dresses inappropriately, snores at PTA meetings, oversleeps when it's time to take his son to school and then--the ultimate embarrassment--wants to kiss him in front of the mortified Mortimer's classmates. This wise and witty tale of role reversal goes even further: when Dad can't find his clothes in the morning, his vexed offspring says, "I've told you a thousand times . . . lay out your clothes before you go to bed!" It comes as no surprise that father , not mother, enters a school baking contest--a competition that offers an amazing, scrumptious cake along with some unusual revelations from Dad. Shalev himself has cooked up a fine confection: he uses liberal portions of humor to serve up some splendid points about the intricacies of father-son relationships. The recipe is sweetened with Abolafia's comically homey pictures. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.