Established in the early 20th century, Father’s Day is a day set aside to honor fathers and fatherhood. Although we observe this special day in the United States every third Sunday in June, many other countries celebrate on other days. This year, Father’s Day falls on June 21st.
Several of our authors have written touching tributes to the sensitivity, strength, and spirituality of fathers. Some stories broach delicate subjects like divorce and absentee fathers. Although many of the stories are fiction, the experiences of the children and families are all too relatable. The books selected celebrate fatherhood through poetry and prose, they express the love and longing children feel for their fathers whether present or absent. Happy Father’s Day!
*All book summaries are from Amazon.com.
A Day with Daddy - Nikki Grimes
A Lullaby for Daddy - Edward Biko Smith
Always My Dad - Sharon Dennis Wyeth
Daddy Goes to Work - Jabari Asim
Daddy, Daddy, Be There - Candy Dawson Boyd
Daniel's Wish - Leah Whitney
Father's Day Blues: What Do You Do About Father's Day When All You Have Are Mothers? - Irene Smalls
Daddy Calls Me Man - Angela Johnson
Pop: A Celebration of Black Fatherhood - Carol Ross
When Daddy Prays - Nikki Grimes
"'When Daddy prays my fear of darkness disappears and angels tiptoe down the hall. I hear them through the door and wall . . .when Daddy prays.'
In this collection of new poems by Nikki Grimes, a child learns about prayer from his father, whose prayers carry the family through each day -- no matter what the circumstances.
Nikki Grimes believes that spirituality and prayer are signs of true strength and power. When Daddy Prays celebrates fathers who help their children see this. Nikki writes, ‘In my view there is no more powerful image than that of a strong man bowing before God.’"
