Our Favorite "Daddy" Books: 15 Books for Dads to Read With Kids

With Father's Day just around the corner I thought it was the perfect time to share a few of our favorite daddy/father themed books with you.

For Babies & Toddlers (0-2 yrs.):

Daddy Hugs 1-2-3 by Karen Katz
We read this one to our girls from when they were born (along with many other of Karen Katz's books). It is a sweet and simple counting book depicting many different ways a daddy gives his sweet baby hugs throughout the day.

Daddy Kisses by Anne Gutman
Another sweet book about daddy affection - this time it's about kisses! In this book we see how all kinds of Daddy animals give their babies kisses. A fun one to read and interact with by giving matching kisses to your little one as you read each page.

Me and My Dad by Alison Ritchie
A bear cub goes on adventures with his dad. This one gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling as you read about the special bond they share.



I Love My Daddy Because... by Laurel Porter Gayl
Another cute animal book (kids love seeing animal babies don't they, my girls sure do!) This one shows how various animal daddy's care for and nurture their young.

My Daddy and Me by Tina Macnaughton
A short, sweet story of a bear cub and his dad and how special he feels when he is with him.

For Preschoolers (3-5 yrs.):

You are My I Love You by Maryann Cusimano
One of my personal favorites because we have been actually been reading this to the girls since they were born. There are so many different lines that resonate with me. One of my favorites is - "I am your parent, you are my child. I am your quiet place, you are my wild." - Isn't that what being a parent to a child feels like?! Love this book!

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
Another book we have been reading since the girls were born. It's the story of a father bunny and his little hare and their love for each other. My girls love this story and one of their favorite things to do (taken from this book) is to say how much they love me and their dad - (i.e. to the moon and back, as big as the whole world, etc)



I Love My Daddy by Sebastien Braun
A very sweet (& short) book about the things a daddy and his child do together and how much they love each other.



My Dad by Anthony Browne
A sweet and funny book in which a boy tells about (& exaggerates) his father's qualities. Don't we all see our daddy's as super heroes when we are young?! A lovely celebration of that feeling.



Because Your Daddy Loves You by Andrew Clements
A loving & patient Dad spends the day at the beach with his son. Their day is filled with mishaps but the father seems to always be able to make things better. A sentimental read for sure for parents.



A Perfect Father's Day by Eve Bunting
A girl takes her dad out for the perfect Father's Day - only we can see it's all her favorite things not his. He of course goes along with it! Isn't that what daddy's  (& mommy's) do?



What Dads Can't Do by Douglas Wood
 This one will leave you smiling as a parent as the little green Dino recounts all the things dad's can't do like play hide and seek without being found, cross the street without holding hands & many more.

School Age (6-8 yrs.):

Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary
I read this when I was a girl & can't wait to share it with my girls. Classic Ramona and her loving dad who always seems to be in her corner, no matter what she does.



The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish by Neil Gaiman
School-age kids love to trade things with friends but what happens when a child opts to trade his dad? This one had us all laughing and the illustrations are wonderful!



Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle
A little girl wants the moon to play with, so her dad gets it for her. Wonderful illustrations and fold & flip pages make this very appealing and interactive. I placed it here for K-2 children beacuse it has wonderful teaching/learning capabilities about the moon's stages and children this age can read it themselves.

Do you have favorite daddy books you read with your children? Please share! I'd love to add to our list this year.

Bern