Best Books to Read with Dad!
June 18, 2022
Dads are fun to hug, chase, cuddle, play – and read with too! So to celebrate our favorite guys this Father’s Day, United Through Reading talked to a few military kids about their Favorite Books to Read with Dad!
Amelia VanVleck just turned three years old – so her favorite book changes daily.
The day we talked to her, her top pick to read with her sailor dad was How to Bathe Your Little Dinosaur. She told us this book brought her so much joy because of “dinosaurs!”
Little Amelia also explained how often she gets to read aloud with her favorite guy, “many, many times watching daddy read it while he’s been deployed.”
Nora Koffman is four years old and couldn’t break it down to just one book, so she chose two. She said, “Wocket in my Pocket is so funny, and I like to read Cat in The Hat too.” It turns out Nora has read Cat in the Hat about 50 times with her Marine dad, and it continues to be a Koffman family favorite for learning how to read. Her mom Lindsay says, “after reading Cat in The Hat so much, Nora can read quite a few words on her own, and she is starting to be able to sound out words in other books.” Keep up the good work, Nora!
Sadie Ruhl is five years old and loves another Dr. Seuss classic Green Eggs and Ham aloud with her dad. “I like it because it’s a silly book, and it makes me laugh,” Sadie told us.
Saide and her Air Force dad have read it together at least five times! Of course, the more you read it, the more you like it! Sadie also tells us she’s learned a valuable lesson from Green Eggs and Ham, “he didn’t like green eggs and ham because he didn’t try it before. You can’t say you don’t like something if you don’t try it.” Super smart, Sadie!
Lena Koffman’s favorite book to read with her dad is Mulan, with a close second to Where the Sidewalk Ends. Mulan was distributed to the Koffman family by United Through Reading in late spring. Lena is seven years old 
and says Mulan is her “favorite because it’s a great adventure book, and now we can compare how the books and movies are the same and different.” It sounds like a great conversation to have with your dad, Lena.
Finally, Jana Koffman said, “I like to read Tales of the Greek Heroes a lot because it is filled with Greek Mythology, which is fun to learn about.” The avid young reader has completed the book once with her dad. The content helped to open up new discussions and fueled a love of learning about Greek culture. Jana said, “I learned about Perseus and how he defeated Medusa, and I enjoyed reading about the myths the people of Greece created.” It looks like we’ve got a history buff in the making!
Reading together promotes strong relationships between Dads and their children. United Through Reading makes it possible for Dads (and Moms, too) to stay connected through storytime video recordings. These stories ease the stress of time apart due to military duty, maintain positive emotional connections, and cultivate a love of reading and early childhood literacy.
Dads, encourage your kiddo to pick a book and get into the routine of reading this Father’s Day! For more information on United Through Reading, visit utr.org/app.