The Bench
Loving ode to father-son bond, seen through mom's eyes.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Bench is a warm picture book by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, about the special bond between father and child, seen through the eyes of a mom. The text began as a poem she wrote for her husband, Prince Harry of England, for Father's Day a month after their first child, Archie, was born. Caldecott and Newbery-winning illustrator Christian Robinson (Last Stop on Market Street) provides tender watercolors of different father-son pairs, of various skin colors, sharing special, everyday moments on various benches. The benches serve as touchstones for the relationship, from places of comfort and sharing to spots to celebrate a sports victory or a soldier dad's homecoming.
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What's the Story?
On the title page spread, we see a red-haired, bearded dad walking with his toddler son to THE BENCH where they've gathered since the boy was a baby -- as we'll see on the first spread with text addressed to the dad: "This is your bench/ Where life will begin/ For you and our son/ Our baby, our kin." This dad and son look a lot like Prince Harry and Archie. But from here, we see other dad-son pairs of various skin tones, sitting on various benches as the kids learn and play and grow, put on their shoes, share lunch, wait for the school bus, celebrate a soccer victory, nap, practice ballet, stargaze, etc. One spread shows a son greeting his soldier dad coming home in battle fatigues. The book closes with a spread of the first dad-son pair feeding chickens, with long-haired mom tending plants in the garden, in a setting reminiscent of the author's California home with Prince Harry, son Archie, and daughter Lili.
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Is It Any Good?
This sweet celebration of the special bond between father-son bond captures the reality as well as the aspirations to a positive life to come as the boy grows up. The Bench serves as a symbol of the solid, unwavering love that grounds the realationship. "This is your bench/ for papa and son .../ to celebreate joys/ And victories won." But it also acknowledges there will be hard times and tears. "You'll sit on this bench/ As his giving tree,/ Some days he may cry/ Perched there on your knee."
Some of the rhymes seem forced, like "The place you'll call home" with "Where you'll never be 'lone." But the warm, gentle, upbeat vibe and illustrator Christian Robinson's inclusive representation of father-son pairs make the total package charming and relatable.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the small, intimate moments between father and son in The Bench. Is there a special place in your home or yard or a nearby park where you like to talk, play, read books, or put your shoes on with your dad? What makes it feel special?
How is being with dad different from being with mom? Do you do the same things or different things together?
Which picture is your favorite? Does it remind you of a place or something that you experienced in your life?
Book Details
- Author: Meghan The Duchess of Sussex
- Illustrator: Christian Robinson
- Genre: Picture Book
- Topics: Great Boy Role Models
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
- Publication date: June 8, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 3 - 7
- Number of pages: 40
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: June 10, 2021
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