Books for Father's Day

My Day with Dad by Rae Crawford (Holiday House, for ages 4-8, on sale 5/23/23) Modeled after her own, debut author/illustrator Rae Crawford has created an early reader that celebrates biracial families. A day with Dad is a day packed with fun! Games, kites, a bike ride, mac and cheese, and more! Young readers can enjoy this simply-worded story independently, or cuddle up for some quality father-child time of their own.

Tadpoles by Matt James (Neal Porter Books/Holiday House, for ages 4-8, on sale 5/30/23) Author and illustrator Matt James draws from his own memories as a parent and as a child to tell a relatable story. In this tender reflection on the fleeting rhythms of the natural world and the enduring love of family, a boy and his father spend a morning exploring an ephemeral pond, perfect for sheltering tadpoles from predators as they grow. The boy’s father doesn’t live with him anymore, and the pond may be temporary, but together they make memories that just might last a lifetime.

Hurry, Kate, or You'll Be Late! by Janice N. Harrington, illus. by Tiffany Rose (Margaret Ferguson Books/Holiday House, for ages 3–6, on sale now) A young girl stops to call out all the sights and sounds on her morning trip to pre-school, but that’s not what makes her late—it is her dad’s goodbye hug. Janice N. Harrington is the Ezra Jack Keats Award winning author of Going North. With Hurry Kate or You’ll be Late, she has teamed up with illustrator Tiffany Rose to create a delightful picture book about a vehicle obsessed girl and her very patient father.

Papa Pizza Mouse by Michael Garland (Holiday House, for ages 0–3, on sale now) Now a bite-sized board book, Papa Pizza Mouse offers new families their first chance to bond over a love of New York, pizza, and a NYC slice that is worth fighting for. When the whiskered hero of this story uncovers one of the greatest treats New York City has to offer a forager—a discarded slice of pepperoni pizza—the danger to bring it home to his family is all worth it! It’s up to the tiny Pizza Mouse to get the slice safely home to his family . . . via the A train, of course!

Ready! Said Rabbit by Marjoke Henrichs (Peachtree, for ages 2–6, on sale now) An excellent read aloud pick for dads and their little loved ones to celebrate each other, charming flaws and all. It’s a lovely day to visit the park, but will Rabbit and Dad ever be ready to leave the house? Rabbit could take his ball to the park. But his favorite elephant would be just perfect, too, if he could find it. Uh-oh! Now Dad needs his jacket…and his glasses. And wherever did his keys go? A tale of patience to share between a dad and child; readers will laugh along with playful jibes at relatable, dawdling behaviors.

Uncle John's City Garden by Bernette G. Ford, illus. by Frank Morrison (Holiday House, for ages 4–8, on sale now) How does this city garden grow? With help from L’il Sissy and her siblings—and love, love, love! A celebration of nature, family, and food. Bernette Ford’s autobiographical story is a loving glimpse at a girl, her siblings, and her uncle, and their shared passion for farming. L’il Sissy’s fascination with measurement, comparison, and estimation introduces children to STEM concepts. And the progress of Uncle John’s garden introduces readers to the life cycle of plants.

Tuesday Is Daddy’s Day by Elliot Kreloff (Holiday House, for ages 3–7, on sale now) A sweet autobiographical story celebrating LGBTQ+ parents, coparents who live apart, and the shared love that keeps families together no matter where they live. Becky has two rooms: one at Mommy’s house and one at Daddy’s apartment, which he shares with his partner Harry. Daddy usually picks her up after school on Tuesdays, but one Tuesday mommy is there instead! What’s going on? Becky likes everything to be the same, but soon learns change can lead to a happy surprise!

Adventures with My Daddies by Gareth Peter, illus. by Garry Parsons (Peachtree, for ages 4–8, on sale now) This authentic bedtime read aloud is perfect for LGBTQ+ and adoptive families! Set off on a series of incredible adventures with an endearing, diverse family as the bedtime stories they read burst into colorful life. Together, the daddies and their little one battle dragons, dodge deadly dinosaurs, zoom to the moon, and explore the world in a hot air balloon, before winding down to sleep in a wonderfully cozy ending.

I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott, illus. by Sydney Smith (Neal Porter Books/Holiday House, for ages 4–8, on sale now) What if words got stuck whenever you tried to speak? What if they never came out the way you wanted them to? When a boy who stutters feels isolated, alone, and incapable of communicating in the way he'd like, it takes a kindly father and a walk by the river to help him find his voice. Poet Jordan Scott writes movingly in this powerful and ultimately uplifting book, based on his own experience.

Going Down Home with Daddy by Kelly Starling Lyons, illus. by Daniel Minter (Peachtree, for ages 4-8, on sale now) Down home is Granny’s house. Down home is where Lil Alan and his parents and sister will gather with great-grandparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Down home is where Lil Alan will hear stories of the ancestors and visit the land that has meant so much to all of them. And down home is where all of the children will find their special way to pay tribute to their family history. All the kids have to decide what they’ll share, but what will Lil Alan do?