This Father’s Day, read these 5 books about the father-daughter dynamic

Family relationships are often far from simple. Such is the case for Mona Dean, a playwright and actress struggling under the shadow of her father. Famous for writing a great novel, Paul is always chasing after the next great project, which catalyses the central conflicts of the book. The women in Paul’s life–Mona, her sister and half-sister, and their mothers–navigate the complexities of living in his orbit. 

With unflinching honesty, Claudia Dey explores the father-daughter dynamic and how this bleeds into our creative pursuits. Her characters are far from perfect. But just knowing that they can break free and carve their own path is enough of a reason to keep reading. 

A lyrical, harrowing read, the story of Betty is an ode to the resilience of Appalachian women, as this story is based on that of the author’s mother. Betty Carpenter was born in the mid-1950s to a Cherokee father and a white mother, the tensions between them exacerbated by the deep poverty and violence that surrounded their growing family. Betty is anchored to the present by her father’s deep love for his children and storytelling, as he passes on the lush, vibrant stories of the Cherokee tribe. 

From a young age, Betty reckons with the traumas that her family has experienced and inflicted on each other. Inspired by her father, she starts to write stories of her own, finding a reason to move forward amid seemingly insurmountable struggles. 

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If you’re in the mood for a gripping memoir this Father’s Day, The Glass Castle should be next on your reading list. Walls captures her nomadic, dysfunctional family’s experiences fully, neither demonising nor sanitising them. She explores the character of her father, whose brilliance and charisma were eclipsed by a severe drinking problem. Meanwhile, their mother wants to live freely, without the responsibilities of running a household. 

The children learn to take care of themselves and one another, while still being supportive and appreciative of the lessons their parents offer. It is a difficult read, often leaving one wondering how anyone could have survived childhood. But Walls has a unique take on love and forgiveness that leaves the reader awed. 

On the surface, the story seems to be a children’s book about animals. But upon closer inspection, The Underneath tackles unexpected themes of curiosity, resilience and navigating the deep hurts we inflict on each other, all tied together with breathtaking prose. It makes for a heartwarming read during Father's Day—kids of all ages will definitely enjoy it, all the more if their father is the one reading it to them.

The story opens underneath the dilapidated home of an alligator hunter named Gar-Face. A chained-up old hound, Ranger, suddenly comes into contact with a mother cat and her two kittens, Sabine and Puck. The unexpected group forms a family of their own, with Ranger becoming a protective, loving father figure to the two boisterous kittens. When Sabine and Puck disobey the rules and get captured by Gar-Face, the family’s bond is tested. 

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