I received a copy of Hoping Through Life: Tales of a Fatherless Father to review in the mail today. I had been interested in reading it only for the reason that though I had a father, his presence as a father was absent. Becoming a mom for me was a hard thought, I lacked the father figure in my life so I was unsure what to do in a lot of cases. Luckily my husband more than met expectations when it comes to child rearing and I have the comfort of knowing that my kids experience is better than my own was when I was a child. Which is pretty much what this book is about. Wanting to be the best possible parental figure to your child and making sure that they get to experience life differently.
“Hopping Through Life” reminds us that family is not just about blood relations, or focusing on what we may lack in our lives, but is a tale about the love, care, and memories we create together right here, right now.
This is a heartwarming tale of a father’s unconditional love and the magical bond between a parent and a child that is formed when we spend that quality time together sharing what we know, and most importantly; fun times!
hoppingthroughlife.com
In the book, Remy the rabbit wants only to be a great father to his little girl Bella. It’s hard for Remy though, because in the back of his mind he wonders what his life would have been like if he had a father. He tries his best to give Bella all of the experiences that he missed out on with his dad like adventuring, teaching her about the wilderness and teaching her to be brave.
There is a part of the book that was very heartwarming and really made me feel connected to Remy. He finds a note in a treasure box from his dad, and while it doesn’t specify what the letter said it did tell the reader how it made Remy feel. Knowing that he had some closure over the loss of his father which happened when he was very young, was a nice thought for people who might not have gotten that same closure. It would be nice if everyone experienced that but for many all we can do is guess. Reading the letter, Remy was empowered in knowing that he may not have gotten to have the same memories with his dad as he shares with his daughter Bella, but his spirit of wanting to be a good dad was inherited from his own father. So part of his dad has always been with him.
I think this book is great for kids of all ages and should be read in schools. To be honest, a lot of kids don’t understand what’s happening beyond their own family dynamic and I think that this book would give them a better insight into the lives of others. What I really like about this book is the author, Kevin C. Riley who took his own experience and wrote a hopeful book for fathers with the same background. Riley rose above his own limitations and is now a NYC Councilmember for District 12 and an adjunct professor at Metropolitan College of New York. He also is a founding member of The Dad Gang which is a community where fathers can find encouragement, education, support and practical tips to enhance their parenting journey. It was founded in particular to combat the negative stereotypes surrounding Black father’s in particular but is available for any father to join.
If you end up grabbing the book, check out the website for it as well! They have a lot of games and printables that you can use for the kids at home or in class.
Click the link here to get your own copy of “Hopping Through Life – Tales of a Fatherless Father“
