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Both penned by local authors, Fathers: A Memoir and My Name Is Spit: The Dunk Dance run the gamut of paternal engagement.
Write-ups by Brianna Gadaleta & Julia Mallon
Fathers: A Memoir
By Dave Donelson
Fathers: A Memoir is something more than a memoir; it is a reckoning. Penned by West Harrison resident, broadcaster, golf writer, entrepreneur, community leader, and above all father, Dave Donelson lays bare his turbulent early life, grappling with a triumvirate of absent, oppressive, and at times abusive fathers. Donelson unapologetically uses his literary space not as a pity party but instead as an opportunity to transform poignant memories into prose, poetry, reexplored dialog, and reconciliation of perspective. Ultimately, fatherhood comes to be defined as a covenant of responsibility in the life of a child, for better or worse, that ripples through time.
Editor’s note: Dave Donelson is a contributing writer for Westchester Magazine.
234 pages (pbk) Donelson SDA Inc $14.95
My Name Is Spit: The Dunk Dance
Written by Daniel Isenberg; illustrated by Bowen Jiang
Daniel Isenberg is a creative director, journalist, and Grammy-nominated songwriter. Perhaps most importantly, he’s a father who was inspired by his three children’s love of basketball and hip-hop. His children’s book is the first of a new series, My Name Is Spit, and a worthy read for elementary schoolers, teaching the importance of facing fears, teamwork, and having a passion. Much of the story takes place at the Boys and Girls Club of Northern Westchester, where Isenberg served as cultural arts director for seven years. Westchester families will connect to the story effortlessly, as there are many references to the county. The mirthful language and page-turning plot will have children eager to read and the whole family doing the dunk dance in no time.
134 pages (pbk) Independently Published $9.99
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