When it comes to managing daily routines in mealtime, playtime, and bath time, little struggles between my kids and I are normal. But when it comes to story time, we are all united as we bond together with excitement! It’s one of the best parts of our day, that even my husband enjoys reading for the kids too. And because Father’s Day is just days away, it’s definitely timely and rewarding for dads to read special daddy-and-child books to their little ones. There are wonderful selections from Scholastic Canada to satisfy that special reading moment! Dads can easily capture their kids’ hearts through awesome dad-themed titles such as “The Mighty Dads” and “My Dinosaur Dad” to name just a few.
“Mighty Dads” is a colourful picture book of adorable father-and-child construction vehicles at work. The characters have such cute names! Take dad Bulldozer Strong wind child Dozey, and dad Excavator Big with little Vator for examples! Joan Holub’s writing is very tickling to the ears because of the entertaining rhymes and easy-to-remember verbs that each truck does. It’s also a delight in the eyes as James Dean’s illustrations bring these vehicles to human life! And while kids learn about the different special functions of each construction truck, they also get to appreciate how mighty and helpful a dad is. It’s a great and fun bonding story!
Another exciting dad-and-child book is “My Dinosaur Dad”, which showcases different qualities of dads through different kinds of colourful dinosaurs. It’s a very simple read, but kids will learn about so many animated adjectives that humorously describe a certain physical trait or behaviour. This delightful book is written and illustrated by Ruth Paul, who is also the author of the successful “Stomp!”.
My son is already fascinated with animals and vehicles, so Mighty Dads and My Dinosaur Dad are such a treat for him. And because my big daughter is still daddy’s little girl, she is delighted with these storybooks for boys especially when her dad is the one reading them!
I also got three illustrated chapter books of “Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot” series by Dav Pikey, who is also the very famous author of his best-selling “Captain Underpants” series. Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot was originally published as Ricky Ricotta’s Giant Robot series in the early 2000’s, which have now been upgraded visually to suit today’s new generation of young readers, with 2014 illustrations by Dan Santat.
I have Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot, Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot vs. the Mutant Mosquitoes of Mercury, and Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot vs. the Voodoo Vultures from Venus. These are the first three of its current series of ten titles. Ricky Ricotta is the protagonist mouse in the series, alongside his good friend the Mighty Robot, where together they go through a quest of adventures to save the day from unfortunate plots and show the value of friendship and teamwork. It’s such a thrilling read for little big boys with boundless imagination!
Don’t be scared of giving Ricky Ricotta books as gifts to school age kids, because although they’re chapter books, the very thoughtful illustrations and simple but engaging words and sentences will keep your little big kid busy reading with much gusto! I’d like to share them to my nephews, but my daughter and I are enjoying them at the moment! It definitely improves a child’s reading accuracy and speed, while developing their love for reading.
Babies and toddlers are never too young to get exposed to reading, so story time is a daily must! And while it benefits the kids with their improved comprehension and communication skills, it’s definitely a special bonding time with the parents. To make these moments more enjoyable, children’s books from Scholastic have unique illustrations and engaging word structures that are appropriate for the kids’ age range. Kudos to their brilliant authors and illustrators for making our story time extraordinary!
*Disclaimer: I received samples for review purposes, and I received no other compensation for sharing my experience from using it. The opinions here in this post are purely honest and all my own.