Kirkus calls Steve Teare’s SIXTEEN GAMES OF HIDE AND SEEK “an empathetic and joyful depiction of father-son play” in starred review

SIXTEEN GAMES OF HIDE AND SEEK
Author: Stephen Barr
Illustrator: Steve Teare
Publisher: Neal Porter/Holiday House
Publication Date: May 12, 2026
Section: Children's

“A classic childhood game gets its flowers in an empathetic and joyful depiction of father-son play.

Ro and his dad are playing hide-and-seek, which “is NERVE-WRACKING but REALLY EXCITING but SORT OF SCARY but SO MUCH FUN.” The game’s constant need for reinvention keeps things thrilling, and Ro tests his independence within the confines of their safe home. Ro knows what to do when he finds the perfect hiding spot: “You close your eyes, just in case, and you breathe the slowest little breaths, and it’s almost like you’re hiding from yourself, too. And time disappears.” But just as Ro is beginning to really fret (a storm is raging outside, and his father still hasn’t located him), Dad quickly finds and reassures him. Barr and Teare masterfully evoke the tension many children feel between wanting to hide but needing to be found; they convey both Ro’s vulnerability and emotional security. Teare’s loose and playful portraiture emphasizes the wholesome theatricality of these romps. Soft-edged, multimedia artwork depicts the four-member family with skin the candy colors of the page, and limited dialogue pops in vivid speech bubbles. This compassionate gem has the heft of William Steig couched in gentle humor, with quick potential to become part of the kid lit canon.

Look no further—you found a real winner. (Picture book. 4-8)”

—Kirkus Reviews