Best picture books about dads
Father's Day is in June and we've got all the books you need to enjoy together - any day, not just Father's Day!
Whether you're looking for some good present inspiration, or you're a dad who wants your child to realise just how great you are!
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Where's Lenny?
Author: Ken Wilson-Max
Interest level: 2-3
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Where's Lenny?
Author: Ken Wilson-Max
Interest level: 2-3
Reading age:
Lenny and Daddy have a great time playing hide and seek! This charming tale, which features a mixed-race family, is ideal to …
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Papa Penguin
Author: Lindsay Camp Illustrator: Momoko Abe
Interest level: 4-5
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Papa Penguin
Author: Lindsay Camp Illustrator: Momoko Abe
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age:
When a little boy's dad is late home for story time, the little boy is a bit annoyed - so Dad tells him the story of Papa Penguin,…
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Zeki Loves Daddy
Author: Anna McQuinn Illustrator: Ruth Hearson
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Zeki Loves Daddy
Author: Anna McQuinn Illustrator: Ruth Hearson
Interest level:
Reading age:
An ideal gentle step-up from a board book, this sweet story about daily life with Daddy and Zeki is filled with love, play and snu…
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Saturday is Pancake Day
Author: Bernadette Green Illustrator: Daniel Gray-Barnett
Interest level: 4-5
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Saturday is Pancake Day
Author: Bernadette Green Illustrator: Daniel Gray-Barnett
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age:
This charming picture book works both on the level of a fun book about crazy food combinations but also as a gentle tale with a po…
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Eyes that Speak to the Stars
Author: Joanna Ho Illustrator: Dung Ho
Interest level: 4-8
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Eyes that Speak to the Stars
Author: Joanna Ho Illustrator: Dung Ho
Interest level: 4-8
Reading age:
Eyes That Speaks to the Stars is a story about a little boy who learns to love his eyes through the love of the men in his fa…
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On My Papa’s Shoulders
Author: Niki Daly
Interest level: 4-5
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On My Papa’s Shoulders
Author: Niki Daly
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age:
A touching picture book about the special bond between fathers and sons. One little boy in South Africa narrates his routine of wa…
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A Brave Bear
Author: Sean Taylor Illustrator: Emily Hughes
Interest level: 3-5
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A Brave Bear
Author: Sean Taylor Illustrator: Emily Hughes
Interest level: 3-5
Reading age:
A book for families, for dads and for illustration fans, this is in the same territory as the phenomenally successful Guess How Mu…
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Dare We Be Dragons?
Author: Barry Falls
Interest level: 4-5
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Dare We Be Dragons?
Author: Barry Falls
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age:
A dad is putting his young daughter to bed, and as he tucks her in, they both start to imagine all of the adventures they could ha…
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My Daddies!
Author: Gareth Peter Illustrator: Garry Parsons
Interest level: 4-5
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My Daddies!
Author: Gareth Peter Illustrator: Garry Parsons
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age:
This rhyming picture book celebrating same sex parents is a gentle and sweet read, with the added bonus of including mention of a …
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My Dad is a Grizzly Bear
Author: Swapna Haddow Illustrator: Dapo Adeola
Interest level: 4-5
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My Dad is a Grizzly Bear
Author: Swapna Haddow Illustrator: Dapo Adeola
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age:
The dad in this book is very bearish - he loves honey, chases his little boy around while growling, and naps everywhere. And there…
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The Girl With Two Dads
Author: Meg Elliott
Interest level: 3-5
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The Girl With Two Dads
Author: Meg Elliott
Interest level: 3-5
Reading age:
Elliott’s bright picture book featuring the friendship between two girls is a great representation of a family with two dads and h…
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Party for Dads
Author: Adam and Charlotte Gullain Illustrator: Ada Grey
Interest level: 3-5
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Party for Dads
Author: Adam and Charlotte Gullain Illustrator: Ada Grey
Interest level: 3-5
Reading age:
This rhyming book is a lovely celebration of everything we love about dads: silliness, games, embarrassing dancing and cuddles (an…
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That's My Daddy!
Author: Ruth Redford Illustrator: Dan Taylor
Interest level: 3-5
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That's My Daddy!
Author: Ruth Redford Illustrator: Dan Taylor
Interest level: 3-5
Reading age:
Featuring a lovely array of different dad activities for all manner of different dads, That’s My Daddy! is an inclusive,…
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I Love You Dino-Daddy
Author: Mark Sperring Illustrator: Sam Lloyd
Interest level: 2-5
Reading age: 5+
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I Love You Dino-Daddy
Author: Mark Sperring Illustrator: Sam Lloyd
Interest level: 2-5
Reading age: 5+
This celebration of all the fun that fathers have with their little ones is a lovely way to tell Dad just how much he's loved.
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Little Princess: I Want My Dad
Author: Tony Ross
Interest level: 2-5
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Little Princess: I Want My Dad
Author: Tony Ross
Interest level: 2-5
Reading age:
Little Princess loves her dad, the King, but she can't help but be a little envious of the other fathers in the castle. But when s…
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Raj and the Best Day Ever!
Author: Seb Braun
Interest level: 4-7
Reading age: 5+
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Raj and the Best Day Ever!
Author: Seb Braun
Interest level: 4-7
Reading age: 5+
Dad and Raj have a brilliant day out planned - but things might not go entirely to plan. A vibrant read about a forgetful dad and …
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Daddy Fartypants
Author: Emer Stamp and Matt Hunt
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
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Daddy Fartypants
Author: Emer Stamp and Matt Hunt
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
Farts are a perennial favourite among young readers and this one about a very windy dad is sure to amuse little ones. A great one …
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Looking After William
Author: Eve Coy
Interest level: 4-7
Reading age: 5+
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Looking After William
Author: Eve Coy
Interest level: 4-7
Reading age: 5+
A little girl announces that she's going to be William's mummy for the day - and it soon becomes clear that William is her father.…
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Alfie and Dad
Author: Shirley Hughes
Interest level: 3-5
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Alfie and Dad
Author: Shirley Hughes
Interest level: 3-5
Reading age:
This collection of three classic Alfie stories is a charming reminder of just how perfectly Shirley Hughes understands l…
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Daddy Honk Honk!
Author: Rosalinde Bonnet
Interest level: 4-7
Reading age: 5+
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Daddy Honk Honk!
Author: Rosalinde Bonnet
Interest level: 4-7
Reading age: 5+
This adorable book about being a new parent is full of warmth and reassurance, and the lovely ending reminds us that a loving comm…
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Dustbin Dad
Author: Peter Bently Illustrator: Russell Ayto
Interest level: 3+
Reading age: 6+
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Dustbin Dad
Author: Peter Bently Illustrator: Russell Ayto
Interest level: 3+
Reading age: 6+
Dad eats everything - from half-eaten pies and unwanted sandwiches to soggy old bits of tomato and manky spaghetti. Then one day h…
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My Dad is Brilliant
Author: Nick Butterworth
Interest level: 1-5
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My Dad is Brilliant
Author: Nick Butterworth
Interest level: 1-5
Reading age:
This dad does everything well: from running like a cheetah to singing like a pop star. Quite simply, he's brilliant. This board bo…
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Daddy Do My Hair: Beth’s Twists
Author: Tola Okogwu Illustrator: Chanté Timothy
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
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Daddy Do My Hair: Beth’s Twists
Author: Tola Okogwu Illustrator: Chanté Timothy
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
Softly rhyming text and glowing, illustrations in this calm, gentle book celebrate an apparently insignificant domestic ritual, wh…
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Just Like Daddy
Author: Lucy Freegard
Interest level: 3-6
Reading age: 5-7
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Just Like Daddy
Author: Lucy Freegard
Interest level: 3-6
Reading age: 5-7
A baby raccoon dreams of growing up to be just like Daddy in this cute, heart-warming book that's perfect for fathers to share wit…
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My Daddy is a Silly Monkey
Author: Dianne Hofmeyr Illustrator: Carol Thompson
Interest level: 3-6
Reading age: 5+
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My Daddy is a Silly Monkey
Author: Dianne Hofmeyr Illustrator: Carol Thompson
Interest level: 3-6
Reading age: 5+
A little girl imagines her busy Daddy as all sorts of animals during their packed day in a playful, warm story about a single fath…
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