Books for Fathers’ Day
Everyone likes a little me time, so I’m changing it up a little to include some grown-up books that make great gifts for Dad. Here are four picture books to read with Dad (or Grandad) and four adult books to give the father figure in your life this Father’s Day, as shared on CTV Your Morning on June 15, 2022.
Picture books to read with Dad or Granddad
Hair Twins (Little Brown) is a celebration of fatherhood and hair. Hair (styling & concerns) is often Mom’s domain, so it’s nice to see it portrayed as special boding experience between a Sikh father and his daughter. An exuberant narrator and joyful art make this a delight to read.
Tell Me a Tattoo Story (Chronicle) is a great book to give to your tatted up fathers-to-be. Every tattoo tells a story, and in this book, a child’s favourite bedtime story is the story of his Dad’s tattoos. A sweet story with both funny and tender moments.
Father’s Day can be hard for some people. Not everyone has a traditional family structure, something that is acknowledged in The Family Tree (Tundra). This beautiful picture book explores how a child with a more complex family history addresses a classic assignment, the family tree. Includes references to IVF, foster parents, adoption and other extended family members.
Poppy’s House (Candlewick) features beautiful East coast vistas and cozy moments of a girl’s visit to her grandfather’s house in Newfoundland. Best enjoyed snuggled up under a wool blanket.
Grown-up books for Dad
Music fans will love this detailed account of how acts such as Tegan and Sara, Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Feist, Corb Lund, Peaches, Kardinal Offishall and so many more changed how the world looked at Canadian music in the early 2000s. Hearts of Fire: Six Years That Changed Canadian Music (ECW) will make you feel like you’ve got a backstage pass to a pivotal moment in history.
1972: The Series That Changed Hockey Forever (Simon and Schuster) chronicles not only one of the most famous moments in hockey history, but the entire Summit series and what lead up to it. Including historical context and personal accounts, this is a great choice for sports and history buffs.
You’ve heard of Sasquatch, Ogopogo and Big Foot, get ready to be spooked by the Traverspine Gorilla. In The Whisper on the Night Wind (Penguin) wilderness explorer and researcher Adam Schoalts goes in search of a creature rumoured to haunt a remote section of Labrador.
Bewilderment (Random House) is a powerful novel about a man who has recently lost his wife and is doing his best to parent their exceptional child. An intimate glimpse into the struggles and joy of fatherhood with a light speculative touch.
Happy reading to you and all the father figures out there!