What Your Dad Should Read Based on the Character He’s Most Like

[Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash]

Ever watch a movie or show and come across a character that just screams your dad? Maybe your father figure is an Uncle Phil type (strict, but encouraging and loving). Maybe he’s more like the Mad Hatter (an avid tea drinker with curious inclinations).

No matter the character your father figure reminds you of, for this Father's Day, we're recommending books based off of the pop figure your dad most resembles.

 
[TV still from Bob's Burgers, 20th Century Fox Television]

Bob Belcher from Bob’s Burgers: Bites of Terror by Cuddles and Rage (Liz & Jimmy Reed)

Your father is a hard-working restaurant owner with a typically sunny perspective and a knack for cuisine. Maybe he’s not the most socially capable businessman, but he’s got a good heart and cares about you and his loved ones. Most importantly, he anthropomorphizes things around him like, say, a Thanksgiving turkey. Bites of Terror is the book for him. This anthology features 10 frightfully delicious tales of, you guessed it, anthropomorphizes food, and like Bob’s life, the tales can get a bit dark when it comes to their sense of humor. And the final diorama, titled “Preserved,” could most resonate with Bob Belcher dads as it features a hardworking peach, trying her best to make her bills. 

Buy the book:

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[Movie still from The Dead Poets Society, Touchstone Pictures]

John Keating fromThe Dead Poets Society: William Shakespeare’s Star Wars series by Ian Doescher

Has your father instilled in you the importance of balance between honoring the past and pursuing new, creative thought? Does he also appreciate a bit of well-placed humor? Then your dad figure may be a bit like John Keating, and he would have a blast with Ian Doescher’s Shakespearean take on the Star Wars films. The iambic pentameter and other poetic Easter eggs pays homage to the artistry of poetry, but the hilarious and refreshing take on George Lucas’s beloved franchise invokes the inventive spirit of Keating’s teachings.

Buy the first book:

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The final book in the latest trilogy, The Merry Rise of Skywalker, comes out this July! You can preorder here:

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[Movie still from Alice in Wonderland, Walt Disney Pictures]

The Mad Hatter from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: Stuff Every Tea Lover Should Know by Candace Rose Rardon

There are infinite famous tea drinkers, but many of them are a bit stuck in their ways when it comes to their favorite brew of tea. Jean-Lu Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation is famous for his “Tea. Earl grey. Hot” line, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’s Arthur Dent is as stubborn about his tea as any endangered human would be in a galaxy of unfamiliar aliens, cultures, and foods. But the Mad Hatter is as curious as they get, and any dad who can relate to this peculiar character is more than likely going to enjoy Stuff Every Tea Lover Should Know as they are 1) a fan of tea and 2) open to learning the various ways to prepare and indulge in this global beverage.

Buy the book:

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[Movie still from The Addams Family, Paramount Pictures & Orion Pictures]

Gomez Addams fromThe Addams Family: Warren the 13th series by Tania Del Rio and Will Staehle

Is your father figure a bit odd? Does he maybe have what others would call atypical parenting methods? Then the Warren the 13th series is for him. Not only does Staehle’s illustrations and Gomez’s personal style have a lot in common, but Warren’s mysterious and spooky hotel and the characters that inhabit it would fascinate any Gomez Addams dad. There’s a mollusk monster living in the boiler room, a scarfed stranger dubbed Paleface, and a pale girl named Petula who would delight any father with gothic leanings.

Buy the first book in the series:

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[TV still from The Powerpuff Girls, Cartoon Network Studios]

Professor Utonium from The Powerpuff Girls: Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Kim Smith

Your dad most likely didn’t accidentally invent you into existence with sugar, spice, and everything nice, but maybe he’s a gentle soul with a caring nature and tendency to worry for your well-being. If so, he’d probably enjoy Kim Smith’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer Pop Classic picture book. Buffy’s strength in the face of fear is not only a great teaching experience for Professor Utonium dads’ young ones, but for the dads themselves, as it reminds them how capable their children are and that they can take a breather every now and then. 

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[TV still from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, NBC Productions]

Uncle Phil from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: Obama Biden Mystery series by Andrew Shaffer

The father figure in your life may not be your biological father, but that doesn’t make him any less of your dad. If your father resembles Uncle Phil, he’s everything from encouraging to knowledgable to caring to protective to a bit strict, but most notably, Uncle Phil dads have a strong sense of what’s right and wrong and hold a deep devotion to the ones they love. These dads can appreciate a campy mystery, following Biden and Obama (yes, those Biden and Obamas), as they seek justice for a suspicious murder and, along the way, remind readers of the importance of loyalty to your loved ones.

Buy the first book:

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[TV still from Modern Family, 20th Century Fox Television]

Phil Dunphy from Modern Family: Jokes Every Man Should Know by Don Steinberg

Phil Dunphy. The most dad-joke-dad of all. If you think your father figure has what it takes to compete with Phil’s constant puns, clever references, and endearing but embarrassing idea of “peer-renting,” then Jokes Every Man Should Know is the pocket guide for him. While some are appropriate for kids and are safe for dad joke territory, your dad may want to keep some of these jokes for his adult friends' ears only! Phil Dunphy dads are not to be confused with Ron Swanson dads. Please see below for less humor-driven fun and more unapologetic indifference.

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[TV still from Parks & Recreation, NBC]

Ron Swanson/Parks & Recreation: Insults Every Man Should Know by Nick Mamatas

Maybe your dad isn’t the guy to outright insult someone. Maybe he’s more the type to snap back with an underhanded comment or more a blunt retort that blatantly displays his indifference towards someone (like intentionally calling them by the wrong name). Hand your Ron Swanson dad Insults Every Man Should Know to give him a good laugh and maybe, a few more ideas. Ron Swanson dads are not to be confused with Phil Dunphy dads. Please see above for less passive aggression and more harmless humor.

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