A sometimes sad, sometimes humorous, but always touching read, "Dear Dad, Thanks" is a collection of thank-you notes from McCourt to his father, Thomas J. McCourt, Jr., acknowledging the man's deep love and sacrifices made for his wife and children. The picture that emerges is one of a dedicated father who was always looking out for his beloved family, and of a son who never failed to keep track. Here, McCourt gives thanks his dad for everything from his taste in cars, to always being eager to dance with his beloved wife.

In simple, unadorned prose, McCourt reveals the quiet strength and determination that proved crucial in successfully raising a brood of five in working-class Philadelphia, and in so doing reveals the universal importance of family. McCourt writes:

-- Thank you, Dad, for having the courage to ask a beautiful young girl for a first date. Thanks for sticking around long enough to make your beautiful bride my mother.
-- Dad, you've worked so many hours and had many sleepless days in order to make sure that all of your children attended good schools. Thanks.
-- Dad, thanks for accepting the fact that you are balding and saving us all the embarrassment of wearing a toupee. It is very much appreciated.
-- Thanks so much for having an easy-to-forge signature, Dad. You made my time in high school much easier.

An intensely intimate portrait of one son's love for his father, the book is nevertheless surprisingly accessible to all those who have grown up with a loving mother or father and wished they could express their thanks resoundingly. Kevin McCourt inspires readers to tell their parents how much their parents really mean to them -- not to leave anything worth saying unsaid.

A portion of the proceeds from every book sold will be donated to The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).