Books for Kids that Celebrate Dads and Father Figures

Finding books that reflect your family isn't always easy — and when it comes to celebrating dads and father figures in all their forms, the options can feel even more limited. After years of curating books for the Little Feminist community, I've hand-picked the stories that do this best.

Whether you're shopping for Father's Day, a new baby, or simply want your child to see their family in the books they read, this list has something for every kind of dad, including bonus dads, abuelos, grandpas, two-dad families, and every father figure in between.

What makes a great "dad book"? In my experience, the best ones don't just celebrate dads, they show emotional vulnerability, diverse family structures, and the quiet, powerful ways men show up for kids across cultures, languages, and life circumstances. That's the bar every book on this list had to clear.

For the Tiniest Readers (Ages 0–3)

Sweet, simple, and full of feeling, these board books are made for laps and cuddle time.

Dad By My Side Best for ages 0–3
Whether they're playing make-believe, chasing away monsters under the bed, or just being there when it matters most, dads have a way of making everything feel safe. Debut picture book artist Soosh captures that bond beautifully in this gorgeously illustrated, moving story. A go-to gift for new parents and a book little ones will want read to them again and again. Shop here.

Hey Now, Little Man Best for ages 0–3
What does it take to be a Little Man? This bold, colorful board book answers with a dozen, hundred, thousand possibilities — lending a hand, expressing creativity, enjoying silence, being exactly yourself. A diverse cast of boys and the father figures alongside them make this one quietly special: the fathers who accompany their sons in several scenes give a solid message and a sense of foundation and security. A joyful, convention-breaking celebration of boyhood in all its forms. Highly recommended by School Library Journal. Shop here.

Babies Love Daddy Best for ages 0–2
Lift the flaps, find the dad. This sweet interactive board book uses animal families to show all the silly, loving, everyday things dads do best — and the sturdy flaps are built for the kind of enthusiastic handling only babies can deliver. Simple, warm, and genuinely fun for the littlest lap-sitters. A lovely first book to share with a new dad in your life. Shop here.

For the Toddler Who Wants It Read Again (Ages 2–5)

Bold illustrations, silly comparisons, and big love. Perfect for toddlers who want the same book read seventeen times.

My Dad Is Amazing Best for ages 2–5
Is your dad cooler than a million popsicles? Tougher than a rhino wrestler? This bright and joyful board book from the creators of Hello!Lucky! is pure, exuberant fun. Wild metaphors and silly comparisons make it perfect for reading aloud — and a great reminder that dads (and their kids!) are pretty spectacular. Shop here.

Hair Love Best for ages 2–7
Daddy shows up for Zuri in the most tender way — helping her get ready for a very special day, one curl at a time. This book has grown in popularity for good reason: it centers a loving Black father-daughter bond and a feminist family in a way that feels both joyful and deeply needed. One of my personal favorites to gift. Shop here.

The Dad Books That Stay With You (Ages 3–8)

These are the ones that stay with you long after the last page. Stories of emotional vulnerability, cultural identity, and the quiet ways fathers show up across generations.

Dad Best for ages 2–6
From Caldecott Honoree and #1 New York Times bestselling author Christian Robinson comes a bighearted love letter to all kinds of dads. With warmth and simplicity, this story captures the many ways dads show up for their little ones — because there are as many ways to be a dad as there are dads in the world. The Target Exclusive Edition includes a special greeting card, making it a particularly lovely Father's Day gift. Shop here.

My Papi Has a Motorcycle Best for ages 4–8
Sometimes love looks like wind in your hair and your arms wrapped around your papi on the back of a motorcycle. This story follows a girl and her dad as they ride through their community together, building the kind of memories that last a lifetime. A beautiful portrayal of quality time as a love language. Shop here.

A Different Pond Best for ages 3–8
This one stays with you. A dad takes his son fishing and, in the quiet of the morning, opens up about his childhood in Vietnam – how his family fished for survival, and how he lost his brother. It's a rare and beautiful example of a father's emotional vulnerability creating connection across generations. I recommend this one often to parents who want to model emotional openness for their kids. Shop here.

Jabari Jumps Best for ages 3–7
Jabari is definitely ready to jump off the diving board. "Looks easy," he says, but when his dad squeezes his hand, Jabari squeezes back. It's a small moment that says everything. Stories of Black dads emotionally supporting their children are still frustratingly rare, which makes this one especially worth having on your shelf. Worth noting: Jabari Jumps is not an Own Voices story. Shop here.

The Proudest Blue Best for ages 4–8
This is primarily Farrukh's story (her older sister Asiya's first day wearing hijab) but it's their father's quiet, steady presence that makes this book earn a place on this list. He plants seeds of pride and resilience in both of his daughters with a calm confidence that is genuinely moving. A beautiful portrayal of a dad who shows up through encouragement, identity, and belonging. One I return to often. Shop here.

Celebrating Grandfathers and Intergenerational Bonds (Ages 3–8)

Some of the most powerful father figures in children's literature aren't dads at all. They're grandfathers, abuelos, and yeh-yehs who pass down language, culture, memory, and love.

Where Are You From? Best for ages 3–8
We all want to know where we come from. In this story, a young girl and her Abuelo set off together to discover all the amazing places she carries inside her. It's a tender, intergenerational story about identity, roots, and the grandfather figures who help us understand who we are. Shop here.

Grandpa Grumps Best for ages 4–8
By Own Voices author Katrina Moore, this book is full of delight as it shows little ones that not everyone speaks the same language (or the same love language). We get a front-row seat as Daisy learns to connect with her Yeh-Yeh, navigating cultural and communication differences with patience and heart. A wonderful conversation starter for multicultural families. Shop here.

Fry Bread Best for ages 4–8
On the surface, this is a book about food. But really it's about everything food carries – culture, memory, community, and the elders who pass it all down. The grandfather figure at the heart of this story embodies a kind of quiet, rooted love that we don't see enough of in picture books. A James Beard Award winner and a genuinely important book for any shelf. Shop here.

The Name Jar Best for ages 4–8 When Unhei moves from Korea to the United States, she's not sure she wants to keep her name. What unfolds is a tender story about identity, belonging, and the grandfather she left behind — whose love reaches her across an ocean. A quieter entry on this list, but the intergenerational bond and the way it honors cultural roots make it a natural companion to Grandpa Grumps and Where Are You From? Shop here.

Books That Celebrate Every Kind of Family (Ages 0–7)

Because families come in every beautiful configuration and every child deserves to see theirs in a book.

Papa, Daddy, & Riley Best for ages 5–7
The first day of school gets complicated when a classmate asks Riley which of her two dads is her "real" dad. Riley is confused because she has two real dads and loves them both equally. This story is a warm, affirming reminder that what makes a family is love, and centers a multiracial LGBTQ+ family with honesty and care. Shop here.

We Are Little Feminists: Families Best for ages 0–5
We wrote this one ourselves — because we looked and looked and couldn't find a book that truly reflected the diversity of family structures our community lives every day. This book focuses on the moments and feelings that make up a family, so that no child ever feels left out. Every family here is filled with love, and that's the point. Shop here.

Why Representation in "Dad Books" Matters

When kids see their family reflected in a book, something shifts. They feel seen. They feel normal. And when they see other kinds of families – a papi on a motorcycle, a Yeh-Yeh who shows love differently, two dads at the school gate – they build empathy and understanding that lasts.

That's why we don't just curate "feel good" dad books. We look for stories that show the full range of what it means for a man to show up: with emotional vulnerability, across cultures and languages, in single-parent homes, in queer families, and in every beautiful variation in between.

SHOP THE FULL LIST HERE