Stories for dads to read to the kids at bedtime

Published 9:00 pm Monday, June 12, 2006

So, it’s supposed to be hard for men to talk about their lovey-dovey feelings. But that doesn’t mean daddies don’t bond with their kids. Maybe they do it over a bedtime story:

“Up on Daddy’s Shoulders” ($6.99, ages 3-5) by Matt Berry and illustrated by Lucy Corvino.

Everything is just a little bit better when you see it from the vantage point of daddy’s shoulders. You can be taller than your house and taller than the giraffe at the zoo. Even more importantly, you’re bigger than your big brother.

“Where Did Daddy’s Hair Go?” ($14.95, ages 5-8) by Joe O’Connor and illustrated by Henry Payne.

Little Jerimiah never noticed his dad was missing his hair until they were at the ballpark one day and a rather rude dude behind him pointed it out. Hearing that Dad “lost his hair” sends him on a bit of a wild goose chase.

“The Daddy Goose Treasury” ($18.99, ages 4-8) by Vivian French and illustrated by AnnaLaura Cantone, Ross Collins, Joelle Dreidemy and Andrea Huseinovic.

Daddy Goose takes a few liberties with Mother’s familiar tales. He gives the backstory on why the cow jumps over the moon and explains that Old King Cole’s family is worried about the effects on his health from smoking his pipes.

“My Father the Dog” ($15.99, ages 4-7) by Elizabeth Bluemle and illustrated by Randy Cecil.

Ever notice the similarities between dad and the family pet? The kids in this book do. Dad fetches the paper each morning, likes to roughhouse and play tug of war and he growls when you startle him out of a nap.

“Daddy Goes to Work” ($15.99, ages 3-6) by Jabari Asim and illustrated by Aaron Boyd.

A daughter reminds her father that there’s a lot of fun to be had at work when she joins him one day at the office. The elevators are cool and so are dad’s colleagues who make a fuss over her. She also likes her own job as the pointer when Dad gives a presentation of charts and graphs in what must be the pre-PowerPoint days.

“Father and Son Read-Aloud Stories” ($12.95, ages 4-8) adapted by Robert Gould and illustrated by Lara Gurin.

“The Three Billy Goats Gruff,” “Puss in Boots” and “The Lion and the Mouse” are among the classic children’s stories that Gould lays out more like a script for animated reading. Publisher Big Guy Books has made it a mission to develop books that will appeal to grade-school boys who might otherwise opt to play videogames than read.

“My Pop Pop and Me” ($15.99, ages 3-6) by Irene Smalls and illustrated by Cathy Ann Johnson.

Who said real men don’t bake lemon cake? There’s no doubt that Grandpa, aka Pop Pop, and his little helper in this story know how to cook up some fun when they take over the kitchen.

“40 Uses for a Grandpa” ($12.95, ages 4-8) by Harriet Ziefert and illustrated by Amanda Haley.

Grandfathers are so many things to so many people. They can be a play date, a cash machine, an oarsman and a hand warmer. They also can be a friend. There’s a companion book for grandmas – but there are 41 uses for her. It must be her hair-braiding skills that pushes her over the top.