Books to read with Dad this Father's Day — June 19

SALT LAKE CITY — One of the most special gifts I've ever received is a homemade audiobook recording of my dad reading aloud his all-time favorite novel, Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."

Every Christmas, I listen to my dad impersonate Ebeneezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim and the other well-known characters in this holiday ghost-story, and every Christmas I cry tears of gratitude as I listen. My father's voice once read me "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," "Junie B. Jones is a Beauty Shop Guy" and "Ramona Quimby, Age 8" — it is a voice of magic.

I smile and laugh out loud as I listen to my husband invent his own silly voices for the picture books he reads to our kids, and I marvel at how on-point his "Mickey Mouse" is.

We owe so much to our dads, not only for the dumb jokes, piggy back rides and bedtime stories, but their hard work and sacrifice. So, if I could recommend just one book to read with your kids for Father's Day this year in honor of the man who loved them first, I would suggest reading "Pet Dad" by Elanna Allen.

Or, check out any of these awesome books about dads:

'Hair Love' by Matthew A. Cherry

This is the story of a little girl named Zuri, and her hair that "has a mind of its own." While her hair can be transformed into many elaborate 'do's that support her make-believe world, it can also be pretty crazy when left untamed. On one special day, when Zuri wants her hair to look fabulous and her mommy isn't home, her daddy tries and tries to make her hair beautiful. After several failed attempts and a lot of perseverance, he and her hair prevail. This is a great book for dads with daughters and the many talents required of them.

'How to Cheer Up Dad' by Fred Koehler

Little Jumbo's antics are making for a less-than-stellar day for his dad. While the mischievous little elephant believes his dad should know better than to put raisins in his cereal, try to dress him in his brown overalls and give him a bath when he's already had one that week, he recognizes his dad needs a little cheering up. With a hug, a little ice cream and a fishing trip, Little Jumbo has just the recipe for cheering up his dad.

'Jabari Jumps' by Gaia Cornwall

Jabari has finished his swim lessons, and he's ready to jump off the diving board! At least, he thinks he's ready. After making all sorts of excuses and letting other kids go in front of him, Jabari's dad has a 10/10 pep talk with Jabari, validating his feelings and boosting him up with some courage, and leaving the choice totally up to his son. The dad pep talk comes through in a clutch as Jabari and all his courage jump off the high dive, making for a happy conclusion. This is a relatable and sweet book for kids who have ever felt scared trying something new and dads who are there to encourage them.

'Daddy Long Legs' by Nadine Brun-Cosme

Matthew needs to get to kindergarten, but his dad's old green car won't start. After Matthew ultimately gets to school, he wonders aloud about what will happen if his dad's car won't start for him when he needs to pick up Matthew. But Matthew's dad is the hero of this story and comes up with all sorts of creative ways he could pick him up, from all the birds in the trees flying him to the school, to their neighbor who waters his garden every day creating a stream with his hose so Matthew's dad can hop in a little boat and float right to him. No matter the lengths it would take, Matthew's dad perfectly illustrates how he will always be there for his son.

'Ask Me' by Bernard Waber

This simple story is the perfect portrayal of a father being present. Throughout the book, which is gorgeously illustrated by the way, a man and his daughter walk and talk together, and she demands he ask her questions about things she likes. Her dad is patient, compliant and it's very obvious he's regularly present in her day-to-day life and knows her very well. It's a great example of what a father/child relationship can be.

'Hike' by Pete Oswald

You know those beautiful days when you leave the world behind and spend hours upon hours hiking in the mountains, blazing trails over stepping stones in streams, taking photos, engaging in good conversation with your hiking buddies and snacking on trail mix? This book stunningly illustrates what one of those perfect days is like, and the amazing thing is: It doesn't even have words. The pictures tell the story of a girl and her dad taking a day-trip into the mountains together. The emotions depicted on the daughter's face show precisely how excited she is to be adventuring with her dad, how nervous she is to overcome some of the obstacles and how contently tired she is at the end of it all.

'Lawrence in the Fall' by Matthew Farina

So many of us have memories of panicking over intimidating school assignments and our parents swooping in to save the day. This is a sweet story of a fox named Lawrence, who is required to bring in some sort of collection to display for show-and-tell at school. While his classmates have all sorts of collections at home, Lawrence can't think of a single thing. His nerves are no match for his dad's determination and he goes deep into the forest with his pop to find the perfect collection.

'Daddy-Sitting' by Eve Coy

This fun role-reversal book would be a great read for Father's Day and a good reminder that kids can treat their daddies extra special on this holiday. In the book, a little girl demonstrates to the reader how to "daddy-sit," and she spends the day doing the best job she knows how to take care of her dad, even if she may not realize all the ways he is, in fact, taking care of her.

'Dandy' by Ame Dyckman

It's a dad's prerogative to take pride in his yard, right? They mow the lawn in those perfectly straight lines, they baby their sprinklers like actual babies and they curse the neighbor's dogs who leave "presents" on their grass. So you can imagine this lion daddy's fury when a dandelion pops up in his otherwise perfect lawn. He wants to destroy it — tries many times to destroy it — but it is beloved by his daughter, Sweetie, whose love for the weed wins his heart in the end. This charming and funny book will have you laughing and relating at the same time.

'Pet Dad' by Elanna Allen

This book starts out, "Plum wants a pet. Plum's dad does not want a pet. Specifically, he wants NO pet." How many of our childhoods are reminiscent of those sentences right there? With some creativity, Plum turns her dad into her very own pet named Schnitzel, but she soon discovers dad pets are not quite as obedient as real pets. She must discover the secret to get her "pet dad" to do what she wants. The end result is heartwarming.

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