My Dad Never Had a Paper Route is intended to serve as a helpful guide for prospective newspaper carriers. The ins and outs of having a paper route are described by a young carrier as she patiently explains everything to her father, who has been away from home because of his job, and who knows nothing about paper routes, since he grew up on a farm. Although it contains useful information, My Dad Never Had a Paper Route would have been much better had it discarded the clumsy fictional framework, and been written as a straightforward work of non-fiction. The illustrations are amateurish and do nothing to add to the appeal of this title. In the absence of other guides to the subject, this book might serve the purpose, but given its high price, poor illustrations, and awkward text, kids may prefer to do their own research.