With Father’s Day tomorrow, I’ve been thinking about the fictional fathers (and father figures) I have gotten to know over the years. My favorite fictional fathers are those that are selfless, a little funny, and always caring. (You’ll see I use the word “caring” about 50 times in this post.)
Without further ado, here are my top six favorite fictional fathers… (Yes, I’m aware I could have done a neat, clean number like 5, but I didn’t want to leave anyone out. Because then they’d know their feelings would be hurt, of course!)
Anyway, here we go!
1. Arthur Weasley from the Harry Potter series
This one feels like a given because Mr. Weasley is likely to be on most Best Fictional Fathers lists this weekend. But still, he deserves all the accolades. Mr. Weasley is a loving father to his own children, and over time, becomes the same for Harry. He’s warm and welcoming in a way that you can’t help but love.
2. “Papa” Hans Hubermann from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Papa is technically Liesel’s foster father, but he is every bit as loving and caring as any good biological father. Liesel’s life is unstable and she is afraid, but she finds comfort and guidance from Papa. She truly becomes his daughter.
Even this picture makes me tear up a little bit.
Read my review for “The Book Thief” here.
3. Daniel Leblanc from “All the Light We Cannot See”
Daniel is a single father and does all he can to make his blind daughter’s life more comfortable. He even builds a true-to-life, tiny model of their Paris neighborhood so that she can be familiar with her surroundings. With World War II roaring around them, Daniel is so tender and caring to Marie-Laure. There was so much in this book that will break your heart.
4. Cokie from “Out of the Easy” by Ruta Sepetys
Josie’s mother is a prostitute. With no way of knowing who her father is, Josie finds family elsewhere. Big, gentle Cokie is Josie’s father in truly every way she needs. He cares about her and loves her perfectly. He definitely made me tear up a couple times.
5. Deda from “The Bronze Horseman” by Paullina Simons
Tatiana and her family live in WWII-era Leningrad. While Tatiana’s father is a part of the story, it’s her grandfather, Deda, that I want to bring attention to. Deda and Tatiana are very similar: observant, gentle, and always selfless. While the turmoil of war and family life roars around them, Tatiana is able to find solace in sweet Deda. I loved the similarities they share.
6. “Man” from “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy
My heart can barely handle this book. The Man and the Boy are the some of the last survivors on Earth after a catastrophic disaster. They are constantly in danger, but the Man will do anything to protect his son. There aren’t many stories of deep, unselfish sacrifice like this one.
I know there are so many wonderful fictional fathers out there. Who did I miss? Who are your favorite fictional dads?
This post is also posted to the 2017 Book Blog Discussion Challenge, hosted by Feed Your Fiction Addication and It Starts at Midnight!
