Children's books with dad as the caregiver
June 3, 2024 10:08 AM Subscribe
Father's Day is coming up and I'd like to gift myself some books to read with my daughter that feature a dad as a caregiver--actively doing childcare or giving emotional care. Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Bang and Good Night, Little Bear by Patsy and Richard Scarry are great examples. My daughter is four and is fine with books a little above and below that age range.
Guess How Much I Love You is another good example, but my daughter does not agree that Big Nutbrown Hare is Little Nutbrown Hare's father.
It's not hard to find books that are explicitly "Let's Celebrate Dads" or where kids help Daddy do chores around the house. They're nice, but that's not what I'm looking for. Likewise, books that feature two dads, or focus on Dad being single or estranged can be great but they are about what happens with other families, not ours. Mom or someone else being a caregiver too is fine, but I'd like to see the dad making at least an equal contribution.
Guess How Much I Love You is another good example, but my daughter does not agree that Big Nutbrown Hare is Little Nutbrown Hare's father.
It's not hard to find books that are explicitly "Let's Celebrate Dads" or where kids help Daddy do chores around the house. They're nice, but that's not what I'm looking for. Likewise, books that feature two dads, or focus on Dad being single or estranged can be great but they are about what happens with other families, not ours. Mom or someone else being a caregiver too is fine, but I'd like to see the dad making at least an equal contribution.
Will I Have a Friend?
posted by Melismata at 10:12 AM on June 3 [1 favorite]
posted by Melismata at 10:12 AM on June 3 [1 favorite]
Daddy Makes the Best Spaghetti was a long time favorite in our house
posted by anastasiav at 10:17 AM on June 3 [1 favorite]
posted by anastasiav at 10:17 AM on June 3 [1 favorite]
You're right, these are hard to find.
Does a Bulldozer Have a Butt? by Derick Wilder
Every Night is Pizza Night by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt
The Balloon Tree by Phoebe Gilman (sort of, there is no mom, dad is a king of traveling for most of it)
@hotdadsofpicturebooks might have more inspiration:
posted by carolr at 10:18 AM on June 3 [2 favorites]
Does a Bulldozer Have a Butt? by Derick Wilder
Every Night is Pizza Night by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt
The Balloon Tree by Phoebe Gilman (sort of, there is no mom, dad is a king of traveling for most of it)
@hotdadsofpicturebooks might have more inspiration:
posted by carolr at 10:18 AM on June 3 [2 favorites]
I'm assuming you're just looking for media to expose a child to where dad is often the default caregiver... so even though it's not a book, I will strongly strongly strongly recommend BLUEY! It's an Aussie animated TV show. A DVD of Bluey would make a great gift for Father's Day.
PS: It's just a straight up great show, I unironically and unashamedly watch it for my own entertainment as an adult, my kids are literally teenagers. In your case, your daughter is right in the target age group and I promise you both will enjoy it!
posted by MiraK at 10:23 AM on June 3 [6 favorites]
PS: It's just a straight up great show, I unironically and unashamedly watch it for my own entertainment as an adult, my kids are literally teenagers. In your case, your daughter is right in the target age group and I promise you both will enjoy it!
posted by MiraK at 10:23 AM on June 3 [6 favorites]
Raising Dragons has several nice everyday moments with the dad and as a story really feels like it draws upon someone's warm regard for their actual father.
posted by teremala at 10:31 AM on June 3
posted by teremala at 10:31 AM on June 3
Oops. I realized you mentioned "Good Night, Little Bear" in your initial post.
My kids also liked "Daddy Kisses". There's not much of a story, but it shows animal dads being affectionate.
posted by belladonna at 10:34 AM on June 3
My kids also liked "Daddy Kisses". There's not much of a story, but it shows animal dads being affectionate.
posted by belladonna at 10:34 AM on June 3
I'm not sure about age ranges but I have a 4 year old and these are some of her books featuring dads:
Every Little Thing has a couple different scenes about resiliency and two of them feature dad & mom together with the kid.
How Do Dinosaurs say I love you features both moms and dads doing typical caretaking activities, together and separate. It might be slightly more towards moms. This is part of a family of books but I haven't read any of the other ones.
Love you forever is mostly about a mom but the last scenes show a dad cooking dinner and then rocking his baby daughter.
More More More starts with a dad playing with his son. It also has a grandma and a mom.
I'll have to poke around and see if I can find any more. I'm also going to follow this thread for more ideas!
posted by muddgirl at 10:41 AM on June 3
Every Little Thing has a couple different scenes about resiliency and two of them feature dad & mom together with the kid.
How Do Dinosaurs say I love you features both moms and dads doing typical caretaking activities, together and separate. It might be slightly more towards moms. This is part of a family of books but I haven't read any of the other ones.
Love you forever is mostly about a mom but the last scenes show a dad cooking dinner and then rocking his baby daughter.
More More More starts with a dad playing with his son. It also has a grandma and a mom.
I'll have to poke around and see if I can find any more. I'm also going to follow this thread for more ideas!
posted by muddgirl at 10:41 AM on June 3
Oh I don't have this particular book but I just skimmed it and maybe I should pick it up:
Nelly Gnu and Daddy Too, this would be a great father's day book.
posted by muddgirl at 10:54 AM on June 3 [2 favorites]
Nelly Gnu and Daddy Too, this would be a great father's day book.
posted by muddgirl at 10:54 AM on June 3 [2 favorites]
I came here to suggest Nelly Gnu and Daddy Too, which I did give as a Father’s Day book last year!
posted by samthemander at 10:58 AM on June 3 [1 favorite]
posted by samthemander at 10:58 AM on June 3 [1 favorite]
even though it's not a book, I will strongly strongly strongly recommend BLUEY!
I don't know which of the Bluey books have a dad-centered plot, but I wouldn't be surprised if many of them did. (That said, according to the titles/descriptions these definitely do. And here's a Bluey-dad crafts book. And a goals book.)
posted by trig at 11:01 AM on June 3 [1 favorite]
I don't know which of the Bluey books have a dad-centered plot, but I wouldn't be surprised if many of them did. (That said, according to the titles/descriptions these definitely do. And here's a Bluey-dad crafts book. And a goals book.)
posted by trig at 11:01 AM on June 3 [1 favorite]
Picture books:
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems (dad takes a walk in the neighborhood with daughter and her stuffed knuffle bunny)
Baby Dance by Ann Taylor (dad dances with the baby; mom's asleep on the sofa)
Lola Loves Stories by Anna Mcquinn (dad reads with Lola; other books in the series feature a new brother, special time with mom)
For when you're into chapter books:
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
Family of four girls being raised by their father, realistic fiction, very fun series
Suggested with reservation (excellently written, great characters, also four kids being raised by their father; but interspersed with racist ideas of the idea--would need some solid discussion):
The Melendy Quartet by Elizabeth Enright
posted by carrioncomfort at 11:38 AM on June 3
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems (dad takes a walk in the neighborhood with daughter and her stuffed knuffle bunny)
Baby Dance by Ann Taylor (dad dances with the baby; mom's asleep on the sofa)
Lola Loves Stories by Anna Mcquinn (dad reads with Lola; other books in the series feature a new brother, special time with mom)
For when you're into chapter books:
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
Family of four girls being raised by their father, realistic fiction, very fun series
Suggested with reservation (excellently written, great characters, also four kids being raised by their father; but interspersed with racist ideas of the idea--would need some solid discussion):
The Melendy Quartet by Elizabeth Enright
posted by carrioncomfort at 11:38 AM on June 3
At this age, we just switched the gender of every character depicted in every children's book. We kept that up until he could read himself. My, was that ever interesting. And I thought it really was one of the most important non-sexist parenting things we could have done; in our family papa was also the primary parent caregiver and this provided important representation unavailable in the actual books we could buy.
posted by shadygrove at 11:43 AM on June 3 [2 favorites]
posted by shadygrove at 11:43 AM on June 3 [2 favorites]
My City Speaks by Darren Lebeuf and Ashley Barron shows a father and daughter travelling around a city.
posted by phlox at 11:49 AM on June 3 [1 favorite]
posted by phlox at 11:49 AM on June 3 [1 favorite]
Terry Pratchett's Where's My Cow? is about Sam Vines reading a bedtime story to his son.
posted by The corpse in the library at 11:58 AM on June 3 [2 favorites]
posted by The corpse in the library at 11:58 AM on June 3 [2 favorites]
Bathe the Cat, by Alice McGinty was a big hit with my grandson. Very funny. There are 2 dads, trying to clean up before grandma comes.
posted by Enid Lareg at 12:27 PM on June 3 [2 favorites]
posted by Enid Lareg at 12:27 PM on June 3 [2 favorites]
These are a little below - but they are rhythmic and therefore can be later chanted in the car and just feel good to read like a song!
Jamberry is a book written by a dad, Bruce Degan, for his kids. It is a dad bear but it is a dad.
Going on a Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenbury
And right at 4:
And I recommend Marla Frezee's illustrations in All the World and in Everywhere Babies. They feature all kinds of care givers and relationships and 4 is the age of busy books (books that you can pick out details that run through - for Frezee it is recuring characters)
These are a little above:
Space Case by Stuart Gibbs has both parents but the dad is really involved in supporting the kid solve a mystery.
Clementine (by Sara Pennypacker) features both parents but the dad works as maintenance for the building they live in and so is the default home parent.
posted by mutt.cyberspace at 12:39 PM on June 3
Jamberry is a book written by a dad, Bruce Degan, for his kids. It is a dad bear but it is a dad.
Going on a Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenbury
And right at 4:
And I recommend Marla Frezee's illustrations in All the World and in Everywhere Babies. They feature all kinds of care givers and relationships and 4 is the age of busy books (books that you can pick out details that run through - for Frezee it is recuring characters)
These are a little above:
Space Case by Stuart Gibbs has both parents but the dad is really involved in supporting the kid solve a mystery.
Clementine (by Sara Pennypacker) features both parents but the dad works as maintenance for the building they live in and so is the default home parent.
posted by mutt.cyberspace at 12:39 PM on June 3
I’ve recently been reading Tad and Dad to my baby, and I think it could fit the bill! It might be too young for your kid—I don’t have a good sense for what 4-year-olds like, but the internet suggests it’s for ages 1 to 3. But it’s a cute story about the relationship between a little frog and his dad.
posted by bijoubijou at 2:09 PM on June 3
posted by bijoubijou at 2:09 PM on June 3
My 30's daughter is now reading her tattered copy of "Daddy Makes the Best Spaghetti" to her own little ones. It was in heavy rotation as her choice before bed. She loved, loved the supermarket scene where he pretends his son is a sack of potatoes he wants to buy. My son's favorite was when he gave his son his bath - I think Daddy flew in like Superman in that one.
posted by citygirl at 3:51 PM on June 3
posted by citygirl at 3:51 PM on June 3
Something Good by Robert Munsch features a dad grocery shopping with his kids.
posted by Vicmo at 4:21 PM on June 3
posted by Vicmo at 4:21 PM on June 3
Peck Peck Peck is a pretty simple board book, and the dad is only present in the beginning and end, but it's lots of fun.
posted by Hermione Dies at 4:23 PM on June 3
posted by Hermione Dies at 4:23 PM on June 3
The Overeager Egg is about an egg looking for its mommy, but at the end (spoiler alert) finds its daddy.
The Penelope Rex books I've ready have mom and dad but seem to emphasize the dad relationship more. They're also really sweet and funny.
posted by Gravel at 4:51 PM on June 3
The Penelope Rex books I've ready have mom and dad but seem to emphasize the dad relationship more. They're also really sweet and funny.
posted by Gravel at 4:51 PM on June 3
Tom and Pippo See the Moon. A little young for 4, but really sweet. About a boy who imagines going to the moon with his toy monkey and his dad.
posted by wyzewoman at 4:51 PM on June 3
posted by wyzewoman at 4:51 PM on June 3
In Just Go To Bed by Mercer Mayer, dad deals with bedtime (cleanup, bath, PJs, snack), shepherding kid patiently through all the bedtime excuses, until he kinda loses his patience at the end (but not in a way that bothers me personally given all the good humor he's shown up to that point).
In Peck, Peck, Peck, a daddy woodpecker teaches kid woodpecker how to peck. Though 80 percent of the book is about all the things the little woodpecker pecks, there are loving interactions with Dad at the start and end of the book, and it's funny and fun-to-read, and the larger size board book version has these cute actual holes "pecked" in the page.
In Daddy, Papa, & Me, a gay male couple has a long fun day of play with their young kid. Cute illustrations and fun rhyming.
I Can Do It Too by Karen Backer probably isn't exactly what you're looking for here but has kid emulating everyone in the family, and Dad makes an early appearance, as do Grandpa and Uncle (among others). (I like books where it feels like the kid is surrounded by lots of supportive family members, so I like this book.)
Bluey might be ok, but stay away from the 5-Minute Stories book. In The Pool, he's the fun but irresponsible one and Mom picks up all the slack on the "boring" stuff like towels and sunscreen. Everyone realizes that mom's way is not "boring" but important, but it isn't like next time Dad brings the boring stuff. And for Hammerbarn, he talks the family into going to a big box hardware store to get a pizza oven to keep up with the neighbors while Mom takes the kids around the store alone and tries to keep them from breaking things.
Both Daniel Tiger and Peppa Pig's dads are around a fair bit, though not sure which books best capture that. Oh, here's one: In Daniel Tiger Plays In A Gentle Way, Daniel learns to be gentle with his sister thanks to some support from his dad, and then together they teach the sister to be gentle with Daniel's toys.
You probably know this, but if you want a preview of a whole book, you can often find a storytime video of someone reading it aloud on YouTube.
posted by slidell at 5:57 PM on June 3
In Peck, Peck, Peck, a daddy woodpecker teaches kid woodpecker how to peck. Though 80 percent of the book is about all the things the little woodpecker pecks, there are loving interactions with Dad at the start and end of the book, and it's funny and fun-to-read, and the larger size board book version has these cute actual holes "pecked" in the page.
In Daddy, Papa, & Me, a gay male couple has a long fun day of play with their young kid. Cute illustrations and fun rhyming.
I Can Do It Too by Karen Backer probably isn't exactly what you're looking for here but has kid emulating everyone in the family, and Dad makes an early appearance, as do Grandpa and Uncle (among others). (I like books where it feels like the kid is surrounded by lots of supportive family members, so I like this book.)
Bluey might be ok, but stay away from the 5-Minute Stories book. In The Pool, he's the fun but irresponsible one and Mom picks up all the slack on the "boring" stuff like towels and sunscreen. Everyone realizes that mom's way is not "boring" but important, but it isn't like next time Dad brings the boring stuff. And for Hammerbarn, he talks the family into going to a big box hardware store to get a pizza oven to keep up with the neighbors while Mom takes the kids around the store alone and tries to keep them from breaking things.
Both Daniel Tiger and Peppa Pig's dads are around a fair bit, though not sure which books best capture that. Oh, here's one: In Daniel Tiger Plays In A Gentle Way, Daniel learns to be gentle with his sister thanks to some support from his dad, and then together they teach the sister to be gentle with Daniel's toys.
You probably know this, but if you want a preview of a whole book, you can often find a storytime video of someone reading it aloud on YouTube.
posted by slidell at 5:57 PM on June 3
In the Toys Go out / Toys Come Home / Toys Dance Party books, the parents have non-typical gender roles. The dad frequently cares for the daughter, does bedtime etc. etc., and the mom is the one who arranges to have the washing machine fixed. This is not really noted or treated as notable. It's also not the focus of the books (the toys are the focus, not the girl and certainly not the parents). These are chapter books, not picture books, but I read them to my son at 4 and he loved them. They're great intro chapter books because unlike a lot of chapter books that are about school or things a 4 year old doesn't really know about, these are just about toys.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 6:06 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 6:06 PM on June 3 [1 favorite]
My son and husband loved this one: I Love My Daddy by Sebastien Braun. I can only find used copies. It has a short, 4-word sentence on each page about what daddy does, e.g., my daddy washes me, my daddy feeds me, etc.
posted by erloteiel at 7:04 PM on June 3
posted by erloteiel at 7:04 PM on June 3
Response by poster: These are great! Thanks to everyone who has answered, and please keep them coming.
I'd like to reiterate that I'm specifically looking for books where the dad is performing acts of care giving--preparing meals, dressing, bathing, soothing, bedtime, that sort of thing. Not just playtime and adventures.
Partly this is for me, because sharing books like these with my daughter makes me feel closer to her. But this is also for her and her mom. Our daughter is going through an attachment phase where she calls for Mom for everything and shoos me away when I come instead. "I said Mom!" she says. Nothing out of the ordinary for a kid her age, but it does cause a lot of stress, especially for my wife. I'm hoping that some positive, normalized examples of Dad being the caregiver help us get over this.
posted by hydrophonic at 8:36 PM on June 3 [2 favorites]
I'd like to reiterate that I'm specifically looking for books where the dad is performing acts of care giving--preparing meals, dressing, bathing, soothing, bedtime, that sort of thing. Not just playtime and adventures.
Partly this is for me, because sharing books like these with my daughter makes me feel closer to her. But this is also for her and her mom. Our daughter is going through an attachment phase where she calls for Mom for everything and shoos me away when I come instead. "I said Mom!" she says. Nothing out of the ordinary for a kid her age, but it does cause a lot of stress, especially for my wife. I'm hoping that some positive, normalized examples of Dad being the caregiver help us get over this.
posted by hydrophonic at 8:36 PM on June 3 [2 favorites]
I recommended Anthony Browne in this previous question, but am not sure if it does have acts of caring. You can find it read aloud online if you are interested. Ones that I think do:
* Daddy Do My Hair
* Alfie and Dad
* Looking after William
There is also a Guardian article here: Top 10 dads in picture books.
posted by paduasoy at 12:04 AM on June 4
* Daddy Do My Hair
* Alfie and Dad
* Looking after William
There is also a Guardian article here: Top 10 dads in picture books.
posted by paduasoy at 12:04 AM on June 4
In Dandy, the dad is the only caregiver shown and he's part of a friend group of neighborhood dads.
He makes a mistake because he's too concerned with how his lawn looks, hurts his daughter's feelings, the neighborhood dads try to fix the problem together, and he learns to emotionally support his daughter.
It's a good story because it takes a stereotype (a suburban dad who is obsessed with his lawn) but it turns into a sweet story about feelings and caretaking, and not sweating appearances. Plus the illustrations are great and it's a good read aloud book.
posted by champers at 2:24 AM on June 4
He makes a mistake because he's too concerned with how his lawn looks, hurts his daughter's feelings, the neighborhood dads try to fix the problem together, and he learns to emotionally support his daughter.
It's a good story because it takes a stereotype (a suburban dad who is obsessed with his lawn) but it turns into a sweet story about feelings and caretaking, and not sweating appearances. Plus the illustrations are great and it's a good read aloud book.
posted by champers at 2:24 AM on June 4
What Daddies Do Best, What Mommies Do Best !
Read from one side, and you have "What Daddies Do Best," and then you flip the book over and read "What Mommies Do Best." The conceit, of course, is that the activities are the same for both. The pictures (anthropomorphized animals) are different, but depict the same activities. Both parents are shown baking, playing in the park, sewing a button, comforting when the kid feels sad, and taking care of a sick kid. It's great.
posted by CiaoMela at 8:20 AM on June 4
Read from one side, and you have "What Daddies Do Best," and then you flip the book over and read "What Mommies Do Best." The conceit, of course, is that the activities are the same for both. The pictures (anthropomorphized animals) are different, but depict the same activities. Both parents are shown baking, playing in the park, sewing a button, comforting when the kid feels sad, and taking care of a sick kid. It's great.
posted by CiaoMela at 8:20 AM on June 4
Curious George? The man in the yellow hat is labelled a "friend" but essentially plays a dad-like role
posted by benbenson at 11:48 AM on June 5
posted by benbenson at 11:48 AM on June 5
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Hair Love is also really nice, and has been made into an award-winning animated film.
posted by Dr. Wu at 10:11 AM on June 3 [1 favorite]