Father Picture Books 2025 children’s book recommendations are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.)
The Best Daddy of All
by Peter Horn (Author), Jessica Meserve (Illustrator), Johanna McCalmont (Translator)
Brief summary: Sebastian spends the day with his father, walking through the meadow and around the pond, learning about what other dads do for their children. His father turns it into a game by describing what different daddy creatures do, and Sebastian has to guess which creature he is talking about.
Comments: This story is a cuddly, bedtime book.
The book was originally published in Switzerland. The book I looked at was in English and printed in Riga, Latvia.
Rating: 4.5/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—đź“—1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Jollof Day
by Bernard Mensah (Author), Annalise Barber-Opp (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A young boy and his dad wake up before the rest of the family on Jollof Day to prepare a special stew. They joyfully chop the ingredients and let the stew simmer. When the rest of the family wakes up, everyone sits down together for the special meal.
Comments: The recipe for the jollof rice dish is in the back of the book.
The bright and dynamic illustrations were created using watercolor paints, gouache, colored pencils, and digital edits in Photoshop.
Rating: 4/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—đź“—
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Little Big Man
by Varian Johnson (Author), Reggie Brown (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Elijah eagerly waits for his father’s return from work so they can fly his new kite together. However, his father has to work over the weekend. Instead, the two of them work together to clean the house and help his mother with the newborn baby. Following his father’s example, Elijah learns to do household chores.
Comments: I appreciate Elijah’s father’s patience and encouragement as his son learns to follow his lead and assist in the house and to also help others in the neighborhood.
The illustrations were created digitally using Adobe Photoshop.
Rating: 4/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—đź“—
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Love, Dad: Inspiring Notes from Fathers to Kids
by Dr. Joel Warsh (Author), Andrew Gardner (Author), David Cooper (Illustrator)
Brief summary: This book is a collection of 18 short notes from various fathers, each beginning with “I hope you…” to support their children’s growth.
Comments: The illustrations were created using digital media.
Rating: 4/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—đź“—
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Riding Through Rice Fields: A Trip to the Philippines
by Michelle Sterling (Author), Bianca Austria (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Mateo and his father are struggling to connect until a family reunion in the Philippines helps strengthen their bond as they embark on an adventure together while bicycling across the country.
Comments: Mateo learns about bayanihan, the practice of people coming together to help those in need. I believe that reading this book aloud in the classroom and discussing bayanihan could be beneficial throughout the entire year.
Rating: 4/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—đź“—
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
The selected children’s books are chosen by a certified, retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.