For Father’s Day, I pulled out the books we’ve saved since our kids were little. This compilation has no rhyme or reason- just the books that gave me warm cozy feelings when I think of my husband reading them to our babies. All the selected books are sweet and make me nostalgic for the little kid stage. I hope you’ll check them out to enjoy with a little one soon!
Daddy’s Lullaby by Tony Bradman & Jason Cockcroft
Daddy’s Lullaby is the first book we purchased when we found out we were going to be parents. Dave read this to Ani every night for months and then to the next three babies as well. The story features a father taking care of his baby while the rest of the family sleeps. He sings an alternative version of “Rock-a-Bye Baby” that we sang to all of our children. The marvelous illustrations help create a comforting and cozy story that will be a wonderful addition to that bedtime book routine!
Find Daddy’s Lullaby at your local library, local bookstore or Amazon.
You’re All My Favorites by Sam McBratney & Anita Jeram
You’re All My Favorites is a sweet story about a bear family that is so reassuring for children with siblings. The baby bears are concerned that their parents might prefer another over them. The consistent message is that each child is unique, and they are all loved and cherished by their parents. I especially love the partnership that the parents exhibit working together to communicate with their children. The illustrations in the story make me want to be a bear- so comfy and chill.
Find You’re All My Favorites at your local library, local bookstore or Amazon.
Harris Finds His Feet by Catherine Rayner
Harris is a hare who learns about how special it is to be hare from his grandfather. His big feet help him hop and climb mountains. They take him wherever he may want to go- but he can always use them to go back home. Through the story, we see the grandfather age and Harris grow in confidence, making the ending a little bittersweet. The simple illustrations convey so much about their relationship and their very “hare-like” movements.
Find Harris Finds His Feet at your local library, local bookstore or Amazon.
Dance Me, Daddy By Cindy Morgan & Philomena O’Neill
In Dance Me, Daddy we observe how a daughter’s relationship with her father changes over time, but also stays constant. The reader observes as the father and daughter move from tea parties to homework to her wedding. This sweet story is a tear-jerking one that reminds us as parents savor, savor, savor the everyday. The bright illustrations highlight the value of family and friends and serve to enrich the message of the story.
Find Dance Me, Daddy at your local library, local bookstore or Amazon.
Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle
This story, Mister Seahorse, is just a beautiful story about the dads of the sea. Mister Seahorse carries the eggs that Mrs. Seahorse lays. As he is caring for the eggs, he comes across several other Dads that care for their babies, some in unexpected ways. All the sea creature fathers in the story actually care for their young, so there is great educational appeal to the story as well. The clever use of transparent pages that assist in telling the story create a magical feel to the book.
Find Mister Seahorse at your local library, local bookstore or Amazon.
Thank you for reading this random mix of the Watson Family’s Top Five Favorite Father’s Day! Please take what is helpful, share what someone else might like, and leave the rest. Enjoy your Father’s Day!
For more ideas on selecting children’s books, please visit the blog post: Choosing Books for Your Little!
