Heartwarming Father’s Day Books to Give as Gifts
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What are good Father’s Day books to give as gifts? How about these fantastic picture books with stories of kids and their dads as well as books that pay tribute to dads?
These make perfect gifts because books do double duty as they’re also a wonderful activity to do with a child: dad and kid read aloud time!
So, if you’re looking for a special Father’s Day gift book, why not give one of these book choices?
Father’s Day Books
My Dad is Amazing! written by Sabrina Moyle, illustrated by Eunice Moyle (board book)
What a fun playful book about the greatness of a dad! This would make a great gift for a dad any time of year or for Father’s Day. “My dad is cooler than a million popsicles!…Sweeter than a pile of pancakes!…Funnier than a bunch of pancakes.“
I Love My Daddy written and illustrated by Sebastien Braun (board book)
What makes a daddy great is all the things they like to do– bathing, playing, and cuddling.
Made For Me written by Zach Bush; illustrated by Gregorio De Lauretis (board book)
From the moment his baby was born, this dad feels love and connection.
Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry, illustrated by Vashti Harrison
Zuri’s daddy helps her see how her hair lets her be her unique self. Like when she wears her hair in braids with beads, she is a princess, or when she wears it in two puffs, she’s a superhero. One day, Zuri decides to do her hair herself. Daddy helps her learn. But it’s pretty tricky at first but then Daddy gives Zuri the perfect supergirl style. I LOVE the dad fixing his daughter’s hair!
Superdads! written by Heather Lang and Jamie Harper, illustrated by Jamie Harper
Superdads are…incredible incubators like the brown kiwi, hard workers like the baya weaver, feeders like the golden lion tamarin, and fierce protectors like the tiny glass frog. Read about the dad heroes of the animal kingdom and you’ll learn more about each species and read funny narrative dialogue showing the interaction between dad and animal babies. Read how a golden lion tamarin feeds his two babies who, in the cartoon panel, are saying silly things like “I call the front seat” and “No bugs today?”) The art is expressive, exciting, and appealing as is the writing. A FANTASTIC combination of nonfiction and fiction with movement-filled, exciting illustrations!
Dad Bakes by Katie Yamasaki
Beautiful illustrations capture the loving relationship between a girl and her dad. He rises early for a job at the bakery then returns home to his daughter. Together, they make dough then wait, playing until it’s ready. The dad rolls the dough into a bear shape for the daughter. Readers will want their own bread bear and notice that this tattooed dad shows his love with time and food. Inspired by muralist Katie Yamasaki’s work with formerly incarcerated people.
Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
Jabari is ready to jump off the diving board. Mostly. His dad tells Jabari that he feels scared too, and sometimes after a deep breath and telling himself he is ready, the thing stops feeling scary and feels like a surprise instead. Beautiful illustrations, perfect text to picture ratio, and a helpful, relatable story make this a favorite read-aloud with a helpful dad.
Hike by Pete Oswald
Take an adventure with a boy and his father out of the city and into the woods. Wordless, playful, emotion-filled, and deeply satisfying, see the beauty of nature from a log bridge and a waterfall to the pine forest where the father and son plant a new tree. Stunning and heartfelt.
If You Run Out of Words written and illustrated by Felicita Sala
It’s bedtime and a little girl worries. What if this, what if that… Her yellow pajama clad dad responds to all her questions with imaginative answers, reassuring her that no matter what, he’ll always find his way back to her, have enough words for her, or forget about her. Gorgeous and imaginative, this is a clever and tenderhearted love letter to a child.
Ten Blocks to the Big Wok written and illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu
Bilingual in English and Mandarin, this is a playful story about a girl and her dad walking ten blocks through Chinatown, counting things they see such as four miniature trees on the fourth block and seven silk fans on the seventh block. When they arrive at the restaurant for dim sum, they count the delicious foods–9 fried wontons, 8 shumai, 7 tofu-shin rolls, and more.
Pizza with Everything on It by Kyle Scheele, illustrated by Andy J. Pizza
Wildly imaginative — this is the funniest book about a pizza-loving boy who decides to add EVERYTHING on his pizza. Pickles and apples, books and pencils, the White House and a particle accelerator, so many toppings...Before the boy and his supportive dad know it, the pizza collapses in on itself and turns into a black hole and then a pizza solar system. Hilarious!
Cave Dada by Brandon Reese
The little cave kid wants his tired Cave Dada to read him a different book. It’s so funny and reminiscent of many of our real lives putting kids to bed.
Bunny Should Be Sleeping written by Amy Hest, illustrated by Renata Liwska
In the sweetest bedtime story EVER, Bunny’s dad forgets to check on Bunny, so Bunny brings his red wagon and special things for Dad down the hall to Dad’s room where Dad is fast asleep. Bunny reenacts Dad’s nighttime ritual, drinking Dad’s water, playing with a soft blanket, and eating the cookie but finally wakes Dad. Dad gives Bunny a big hug and walks him back to bed where they read their special favorite book.
Bathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty, illustrated by David Roberts
Laugh with this silly story about two dads and their kids trying to do chores to prepare for Grandma’s visit…but when the cat hears that bathing the cat is on the list of chores, the cat slyly rearranges the letters and words into goofy chores such as feeding the floor, sweeping the dishes, and scrubbing the fishes. The LGBTQ+ family does all sorts of weird things until one dad realizes the problem — and captures the cat so they can do the correct chore.
Interrupting Chicken: Cookies for Breakfast by David Ezra Stein
Little red chicken loves when his dad reads aloud to him–and he loves to modify the stories, too. This morning, he really wants cookies so he helps his dad read the nursery rhymes adding new rhymes with cookies in them. For example, “Hickory, Dickory, Dock,” reads the dad. Then little red chicken jumps into the story and adds, “I sure like cookies a lot!” Eventually, Papa suggests that instead of cookies for breakfast, they have cake…a pancake. Entertaining, funny, and playful.
Ramen for Everyone written by Patricia Tanumihardja, illustrated by Shiho Pate
Hiro loves his dad’s ramen. He wants to make his own ramen and share it with his family. But his attempts fail — and with anger, he throws it all in the trash. His dad reminds him that Hiro’s family appreciates his cooking and it doesn’t have to be perfect. So Hiro starts again and customizes his bowls of ramen noodles for each person with things that they like and that Hiro can cook. (Growth mindset!)
Dad and the Dinosaur by Gennifer Choldenko, illustrated by Dan Santat
Nicholas is afraid of the dark and other things, but his toy dinosaur makes him feel as brave as his dad, even fearless. But his beloved toy gets lost and his fear returns. His dad saves the night and helps Nick find his dinosaur!
Hair Twins by Raakhee Mirchandani, illustrated by Holly Hatam
The loving little girl’s Papa combs her hair every morning. Sometimes he braids it. Sometimes he puts it in a top bun just like the joora he wears under his turban. “Hair cheers!” the little girl tells her Papa, her hair twin. After school, Papa takes her hair down. Then, they have dance parties and go to the park where they play with friends. A sweet father-daughter relationship story plus important Sikh representation.
