The Best Books for First Time Dads this Father’s Day

In the lead-up to Fathers Day, we are celebrating Dads of all ages and levels of experience.  If you know a First Time Dad, here’s how to help them celebrate their first Father’s Day – they need all the laughs, encouragement and sympathy they can get!

How to Dad: Volume 2 by Jordan Watson

Once upon a time, Jordan Watson made a spoof video teaching his mate How to Hold a Baby. That video went viral, and a new YouTube-and-Facebook star was born.  How to Dad now offers advice and solidarity in hundreds of “instructional” videos and two How to Dad books.  How to Dad is great because he’s so ordinary – experienced parents will recognise all his tips and tricks – and his deadpan goofiness will make you snort with laughter.  Lots of reassurance and inspiration for newbie dads who want to be hands-on but don’t know how.

The Lost Dads Home by Eric Veille and Pauline Martin

The creative team of Eric Veille and Pauline Martin also excel in deadpan humour.   Team Booko loves their take on Mums, and now they turn their attention to Dads.  When a little boy accidentally loses track of his dad, he heads to the Lost Dads Home to try to find him. Here he finds dads of all shapes and sizes – but will he find the right one?  The Lost Dads Home celebrates dads in all their weird and wonderful glory.

Stories for Boys Who Dare to be Different by Ben Brooks

You don’t have to be the biggest or strongest or smartest to be amazing. In Stories for Boys who Dare to be Different, Ben Brooks challenges gender stereotypes by profiling 100 boys and men who have made important contributions to society, despite not being “prince charming, dragon slayers or mischievous pranksters”.  The subjects came from many different countries and eras; some are famous, such as Roald Dahl, Barack Obama and John Lennon, while the lesser-known are no-less impressive for their selflessness, perseverance and sense of humanity. Stories for Boys who Dare to be Different is a powerful read-aloud for Dads to share with their children.

Family: New Vegetable Classics to Comfort and Nourish by Hetty McKinnon

Foodie Dads can show their culinary flair – and their love for their families – by cooking some delicious, family- friendly meals; and Hetty McKinnon’s latest book is here to offer some fresh inspiration.  Through her previous bestsellers Community and Neighbourhood, Hetty has become known for vegetable-based salads and meals that are hearty, flavourful and great for sharing; now she puts her own spin on a multicultural range of comfort foods. If you love foods that are simple but generous, and if you love the idea of creating family rituals, then Family is definitely a book for you.

A Life Less Stressed: the Five Pillars of Health and Wellness by Dr Ron Ehrlich

Now that you are responsible for a tiny, vulnerable human being, maintaining your health (both mental and physical) is more important than ever.  Dr Ron Ehrlich, a dentist and holistic health advocate, sets out to understand what stress means and how it impacts our health and wellbeing.  Based on his holistic outlook, Dr Ron argues that problems in one area will have repercussions over our entire body.  He shows how we can take control of our health by strengthening the “five pillars” of sleep, breathing, nutrition, movement, and thought – which will help us become more resilient, and able to be the best selves and parents we can be.

Illuminae (audiobook on CD) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Parenting a newborn involves spending a lot of time holding the baby – and sitting around. Make the most of that downtime by listening to an audiobook.  Catch up on a recent release, such as the Illuminae trilogy by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff – it is a huge, magnificent and acclaimed space opera.  The audiobook version has appeared on many “Best Of” lists – with a cast of twenty narrators, this is more a performance than a simple read-aloud. Illuminae is also available for instant download from Audible. Volume 2, Gemina, is also available as an audiobook.  Alternatively, rediscover a classic, such as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone as read by Stephen Fry.