Picture Books about a Father’s Love

May 27 – Get Ready for Father’s Day during National Family Month

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About the Holiday

Celebrate National Family Month and get ready for Father’s Day with today’s endearing book that will quickly become a family favorite! Observed during the five weeks between Mothers Day and Fathers Day, National Family Month was established by KidsPeace, a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping children and families since 1882. Leading into the school vacation season, the holiday encourages families to spend more time working, playing, talking, reading, and just hanging out together.

Helping Daddy

Written by Angel Dike | Illustrated by Ebony Glenn

Daddy and his little one are having a busy day! First up is laundry, all freshly washed and dried and neatly folded in tall piles in the basket. Daddy’s just folding one more shirt . . . . Baby wants to do laundry too. Then the cat joins in. Wait! What does Daddy see? All of his laundry is tossed about. So now what? “Daddy is cleaning.” Next, “Daddy is cooking.” His tiny helper says, “Me too!” and in no time is surrounded by spilled macaroni while the cat is dusted in flour. What’s a dad to do? “Daddy is cleaning.”

Illustration copyright © 2026 by Ebony Glenn. Text copyright © 2026 by Angel Dike. Courtesy of Nosy Crow.

After eating—and cleaning—it’s time to head outside. Daddy digs gently in the garden while his youngster gives the plants a good watering. Then comes . . . a cleaning. No busy day is complete without a bubble bath, and a good . . . laugh. As the day comes to an end, it’s time to share a story and a sweet, sleepy, “Night, night, Daddy.”

Illustration copyright © 2026 by Ebony Glenn. Text copyright © 2026 by Angel Dike. Courtesy of Nosy Crow.

Angel Dike’s debut picture book is a charmer with breezy, minimalistic storytelling that brims with all the unstated particulars of daily chores that individual readers will amusedly supply from their own family experiences. Her perfect pacing of the repeated phrasing “Daddy is . . . / “Me too!” / “Daddy is cleaning” will bring eager giggles from little ones and appreciative chuckles from adults. Dike’s segue to bath time provides a clever and heartwarming twist to this pattern, and as story time leads to sleep, adults will again knowingly acknowledge this nighttime routine with a swelling heart.

Ebony Glenn’s endearing father-child dynamic will have you smiling all the way through this sweet picture book. Her impish toddler just wants to be like Dad, with varying degrees of success but always with fervent enthusiasm. Dad is a star! Bemused, alert, patient, playful, and always caring. Adults will empathize as his eyes droop while his little one’s remain wide open. But there’s one more hug waiting when his baby finally drifts off. Glenn’s lovely soft-hued pages are smartly composed to give youngest readers plenty of homey details to point out and name while leaving room for talking about their own homes. The family’s cat is an adorable companion that kids will love.

Helping Daddy is a loving and humorous read-aloud little ones will want to hear again and again. The book makes a perfect gift for Father’s Day and any gift-giving occasion. It is highly recommended for all libraries and home bookshelves.

Ages 2 – 5

Nosy Crow, 2026 | ISBN 979-8887772714

Angel Dike is a lifelong reader and writer. Helping Daddy is her first published picture book. She lives with her husband and two young sons in Hertfordshire, England. Visit her at angeldike.com.

Ebony Glenn has illustrated several popular picture books, including the best-selling Speak Up! written by Miranda Paul. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia. You can visit her at ebanyglenn.com.

Father’s Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-building-blocks-craft

I Love Dad Building Blocks

This craft will stack up to be a favorite with kids! With wooden blocks and a little chalkboard paint, it’s easy for kids to make these unique building blocks that show dad just how they feel about him. They’re also great for gifts, decorating, party favors, or when you just have a little time to play!

Supplies

  • Wooden blocks in various sizes, available from craft stores
  • Chalkboard paint in various colors
  • Paint brush
  • Chalk in various colors

Directions

  1. Paint the wooden blocks with the chalkboard paint, let dry
  2. Write words or draw pictures on the blocks
  3. Have fun!

You can purchase Helping Daddy from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

April 7 – Week of the Young Child

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About the Holiday

This year marks the 55th anniversary of Week of the Young Child, an annual initiative hosted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (which itself is celebrating its 100th year!) to promote learning and spotlight young children, their families, and their teachers. Themes for each day of this week focus on ways that children learn. These included Music Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Work Together Wednesday, Artsy Thursday, and Family Friday. To get more information on this week-long celebration and discover extensive ideas and activities to make each day of the week fun for your family or students, visit the NAEYC website.

Thank you to Orchard Books/Scholastic for sending me a copy of this book for review!

Beautiful Black Boy

Written by Sophia Robinson | Illustrated by Ken Daley

 

Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, godparents, teachers, and all of the important adults in a child’s life want them to grow up knowing how much they are loved and how special they are. Sophia Robinson’s lyrical ode to Black boys does just that with stirring, confidence- and esteem-building affirmations that celebrate Black joy while identifying and reinforcing qualities their children already possess and that will sustain them throughout their life.

Each of Robinson’s verses offer a poignant starting point for adults to share not only a specific characteristic—like resilience, leadership, courage, and curiosity—but to expand on it, sharing examples from the child’s own life. They also provide a spark for conversations between children and caregivers about their experiences as well as their hopes and dreams for the future.

Ken Daley’s exhilarating illustrations portray Black boys full of wonder, intelligence, confidence, courage, and pride in their accomplishments. His kinetic backgrounds are subtly layered with words from the text, a poignant reminder that the praise children receive echoes like a song’s refrain in their hearts and minds into adulthood.

Notes from Sophia Robinson and Ken Daley about the creation of Beautiful Black Boy follow the text.

Inspiring, motivational, and full of love, Beautiful Black Boy is a book to cherish and share over and over again as a child grows. It is a must for any library and will be a favorite on home bookshelves. The book also makes a meaningful gift for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and end of year presents for teachers.

Ages 4 – 8

Orchard Books, 2026 | ISBN 978-1338864649

About the Author

Sophia Robinson was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. She has been an elementary school teacher for over 20 years, where she shares her love of picture books with her students. Visit her at sophiarobinsonauthor.com.

About the Illustrator

Ken Daley is an award-winning artist/illustrator who lives in Tillsonburg, Ontario. His art and illustrations are inspired by his African-Caribbean heritage, and he has exhibited his work in Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean. Ken has illustrated numerous children’s books, including Joseph’s Big Ride, Jayden’s Impossible Garden, A Feast for Joseph, Black Boy, Black Boy, The Little Regent, and more, as well as received an Américas Award Honor Book and a Kirkus Best Picture Book for Auntie Luce’s Talking Paintings. Visit him at kendaleyart.com.

Week of the Young Child Activity

CPB - Heart Jar

Jar Full of Hearts

 

Whenever your child feels the need for more love or reassurance in their life, this jar full of hearts can be a visual reminder of the love that surrounds them, can be used to encourage discussions about experiences and feelings, or can provide meaningful tokens of their own love kids can give to family and friends.

Supplies

  • A clear jar with a lid
  • Red felt
  • Scissors

Directions

1. Cut red hearts from the felt

2. Add hearts to the jar. The jar can start out full or hearts can be added over time. Here are some ideas for using the jar with your child:

  • Add one heart for each thing you love about your child or that a child loves about their sibling or friend.
  • Give a new heart whenever the recipient of your jar does something nice for a sibling, friend, or someone else.
  • If talking about feelings is difficult for your child, encourage them to bring you a heart from the jar to start a conversation.
  • Encourage the recipient of your jar to pass the love along! Tell them they can give a heart from the jar to someone else.

You can purchase Beautiful Black Boy from these book sellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review