We’re just one week away from Father’s Day, and what better way to celebrate dad than to give him a book (or two or three!) that he can snuggle up and read with the ones who made him a dad! Especially if its a book that stars a dad, because there really just doesn’t seem to be enough of those around.
Here are 25 top picks…
RELATED: TWENTY CHILDREN’S BOOKS FOR THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
1 | I LOVE MY DADDY by Sebastien Braun
This sweet board book celebrates the relationship between a child and father. Follow a day in the life of a bear and his bear cub, as baby bear narrates the story, telling all the things his dad does for him.
2 | YOUR BABY’S FIRST WORD WILL BE DADA by Jimmy Fallon
Written by Jimmy Fallon, a quest to make sure your baby’s first word will be . . .”Dada!”
3 | MY DAD LOVES ME! by Marianne Richmond
A story about baby animals and their dads, My Dad Loves Me illustrates some of the sweet ways a dad shows his love to his children.
4 | MY DAD IS AMAZING by Sabrina Moyle
Featuring bright, colorful artwork and a mythical yeti, My Dad is Amazing is a tribute all the things that make dad the greatest! He is “cooler than a million popsicles” and “cuddlier than a ton of bunnies” after all.
5 | I LOVE DAD WITH THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR by Eric Carle
Celebrate dad with a little bit of help from The Very Hungry Caterpillar! Featuring the loveable Eric Carle illustrations, I Love Dad is a classic choice for Father’s Day.
6 | WITH MY DADDY: A BOOK OF LOVE AND FAMILY by Jo Witek
With My Daddy is a whimsical picture book about a little girl who loves to spend time with her daddy. Being with him makes her feel “brave,” “adventurous,” and “daring.” And when she gets scared, nothing calms her down like a hug from her dad.
7 | BECAUSE I’M YOUR DAD by Ahmet Zappa
Filled with great monster illustrations and silly things dads can do with their kids, Because I’m Your Dad will be a household favorite in no time.
8 | MADE FOR ME by Zack Bush
Recently published, Made for Me is an absolute must-read. Filled with tender moments that tie a father and his new child together, you’ll be swept away by all the relatable feelings.
9 | I WILL FIGHT MONSTERS FOR YOU by Santi Balmes
Martina, a little girl, is having trouble sleeping because she is afraid of the upside-down city of monsters under her floor. Meanwhile, Anitram, a little girl monster, is also having trouble sleeping because a noisy human is jumping on the bed in the upside-down world under her floor. Both of their fathers promise to protect them and they finally fall asleep, only to have a hole magically open up between their upside-down worlds.
10 | DAD BY MY SIDE by Soosh
This sweet father-daughter story beautifully illustrates how much they enjoy each other’s company. Dad By My Side is sweet and sentimental, in the best of ways.
11 | MY DAD HAS A BEARD by Kellen Roggenbuck
If you have men in your life with beards (and even if you don’t), you will love this book. It is witty and fun for parents, and colorful and engaging for kids.
12 | BE GLAD YOUR DAD…(Is Not an Octopus) by Matthew Logelin
Be Glad Your Dad is a silly, make-you-laugh, what-if story comparing dads to other animals. “Be glad your dad is not a unicorn, because no one would believe you.”
13 | SUPERHERO DAD by Timothy Knapman
This rhyming book is a fun little story about why a son thinks his Dad is a superhero. His super snores can be heard a thousand miles away, and he can even make super-scary monsters go away!
14 | NELLY GNU AND DADDY TOO by Anna Dewdney
If your preschool-age child loved the Llama Llama books, this fun-to-read rhyme book about playtime with Nelly Gnu and her daddy will be another favorite.
15 | DADDY, PAPA, AND ME by Lesléa Newman
A wonderful book about a baby and his two dads and all the things they do together, from hide-and-seek to dress-up, then bath time and a kiss goodnight.
16 | MIGHTY DADS by Joan Holub
An action-packed construction story about the ways dad cheer on and support their kids. “Excavator Big helps little Vator dig. They go scoop, scoop, scoop.” The perfect pick if your little one enjoys trucks.
17 | DARTH VADER AND SON by Jeffrey Brown
This sweet & hilarious book reimagines Darth Vader as any other dad (as well as being the Dark Lord of the Sith) and is a must-have for every dad who’s a fan of star wars. (There’s also Vader’s Little Princess for dads & daughters.)
18 | PET DAD by Elanna Allen
Plum wants a pet but her dad says “no.” Then she realizes she already has the perfect pet: her dad! Plum’s dad makes a pretty great pet but he’s impossible to train, that is until she finds the perfect reward.
19 | MY DAD USED TO BE SO COOL by Keith Negley
Let’s face it, you were probably cooler before you had kids. My Dad Used to Be So Cool is the story of a dad who used to play in a band, ride a motorcycle, and lots of other cool things. Those days may be behind him, but his young son still think he’s the greatest!
20 | RORY AND THE DINOSAUR: ME AND MY DAD by Liz Limo
Rory the Dinosaur loves spending time with his dad, but wants to go on his own adventure one day when his dad is busy! Little does he know that his dad is there every step of the way to make sure nothing goes wrong.
21 | HOW TO CHEER UP DAD by Fred Koehler
Little Jumbo’s dad is having a bad day but he has no idea why. (It couldn’t be the raisins he spits at the ceiling or the cereal dropped on the floor.) But Little Jumbo decides to cheer up his dad with some of his favorite things!
22 | MY DAD IS BIG AND STRONG, BUT…: A BEDTIME STORY by Coralie Saudo
Every night it’s the same old story, dad doesn’t want to go to bed – he’d rather read stories or play (hmmm, sound familiar?). This hilarious book turns the tables and is sure to be a bedtime favorite!
23 | DADDY HUGS by Karen Katz
Baby and daddy can cuddle and count along with this hug-and-read book perfect for dad’s first Father’s Day.
24 | HOW TO SURPRISE A DAD by Jean Reagan
From the creators of How to Babysit a Grandpa, this picture book is filled with fun tips for becoming a super dad surpriser!
25 | IF MY LOVE WERE A FIRE TRUCK: A DADDY’S LOVE SONG by Luke Reynolds
A bedtime rhyming love song from fathers to their sons. “If my love were a racing car, it would rev and rattle and vroom.”
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Great choices! We also love “Daddies do it different” and “When Dads don’t grow up”
Those both look absolutely adorable! I haven’t heard of either of them – thanks for sharing!
Thank you! I wish more of these were board books! My LO crushes pages 😉
I think at least a handful of them are board books! And there’s always Guess How Much I Love You, another favorite of mine! 🙂