Tell Me A Tattoo Story

I do not have any tattoos, nor does my husband, brother, or parents. The mousetrap that caught me to this picture book, was the match up of author Alison McGhee (Someday, Bink & Gollie) and illustrator Eliza Wheeler (Doll Bones, What does it Mean to be Present). But only a few breathes in did I find joy in the idea of how many kids could see a reflection of the people in their lives in this book, as so many have loved ones with a tattoo. The words and illustrations weave through the ink on a father's body, a historical narrative of a life is shared with a son. Any fan of oral stories and writing will verify the impact of hearing oral stories throughout childhood and life. My father loved to tell me stories about his life. Every tale told again and again, still revealing themselves like a new treasure with every single retell. I can relate to the son's attentive loyalty in this book. McGhee and Wheeler did a seamless partnership in representing this story in such a delicate manner, when so often the images of tattoos are drenched in grit. This belongs in libraries and classrooms, as kids always need access to models in picture books to help validate their understandings of the world they live in. This one is personal for a lot of kids.