15 Books for Dad this Father’s Day

15 Books for Dad that will take the guessing out of gifting this Father’s Day

From non-fiction books for Dads who love armchair adventures, brushing up on history, or spending time in the great outdoors, to picture books for the little kids to wrap, this gift guide’s got you covered.

Gifts for Dads Who Love Adventure

1. Greatest Walks of the World

200 INCREDIBLE HIKES OF A LIFETIME: AMAZING ADVENTURES AND EPIC TRAILS

Help Dad explore the world’s best walks: chart the routes, read details only a local would know, and see epic destinations for himself. Greatest Walks of the World is the perfect gift for all levels of adventurer, with a variety of completion times and terrains to choose from, Dad is sure to find his next breathtaking adventure.

2. Untethered

Living the digital nomad life in an uncertain world.

Does your Dad dream of adventure, but find himself stuck in the 9-5 grind? Give him the gift of work-life balance with Untethered by Nathan James Thomas. In this guide, Dad will learn exactly what it takes to engineer a digital nomad lifestyle and work from anywhere in the world. With travel stories and case studies interlaced with clear, real-world guidance, he’ll discover whether the digital nomad lifestyle is for him and equip himself with the tools to create his own location-independent life.

3. Trial of Strength

Send Dad on various adventures and misadventures on the wild and remote subantarctic islands.

The New Zealand and Australian subantarctic islands have a rich and fascinating human history. Balanced and engaging, Trial of Strength features classic tales of infamous shipwrecks, lesser-known stories of intrepid pioneers, as well as more recent stories of adventure tourism, conservation wins, and dramatic helicopter rescues. Trial of Strength will leave you with an appreciation for the tenacity of the human race and the forbidding forces of nature.

4. A Life of Extremes

Transport Dad to the immensely beautiful landscapes where the temperature is permanently below freezing, with polar filmmaker Max Quinn as his guide.

Dad will become inspired to leave the tourist trail behind with this unique book about what life is like behind the camera, beyond public transport and even human habitation. He’ll learn about dog sled racing, the last great ice age, penguin colonies, and the stunning beauty and epic struggle of life on the edge.

5. Fearless Footsteps

For the Dad who is brimming with Wanderlust, these are true stories that capture the spirit of adventure.

Exhilarating, introspective and inspiring, this collection of true travel stories proves that the world is best seen with courage, open-mindedness, and relentless curiosity – and they’re certain to send Dad looking for his passport. From a nervous flier anxiously taking to the skies for the first time to a female traveler braving the Middle East; from a death-defying hike on an Indonesian volcano to the anxious freedom of finding yourself alone on the other side of the world – this book is full of Fearless Footsteps. 

Gifts for Outdoorsman Dads 

6. The Australian Beekeeping Manual 3rd Ed.

The perfect gift for a budding beekeeper, or a dad that wants to take up a new hobby.

The Australian Beekeeping Manual is the most comprehensive reference for both novice and experienced beekeepers in Australia. The accessible yet detailed text, supported by over 350 full-colour photographs and illustrations, covers all the key areas, from the beekeeping equipment needed and how to obtain bees to the basics of colony management, pests and diseases, native bees, and rearing queens.

7. Gardener’s Quiz and Puzzle Book

100 Brainteasers for Dads Who Know Their Onions

Test Dad’s botanical knowledge with over 100 puzzles and quizzes cultivated by garden expert Simon Arkeroyd and quiz-master Dr Gareth Moore. Dad can show off by solving challenging anagrams of Latin species names and challenge himself with stimulating activities aimed at improving his horticultural and botanical knowledge. Breathtaking botanical illustrations throughout and a wide range of quizzes and puzzles will ensnare and delight any gardener who thinks they know their onions

8. Getting Closer

For the dads who always have a camera in hand at the family function, or the photographer that wants to combine their passion with their love for the outdoors. 

Award-winning photographer Paul Sorrell, offers a simple, practical path for readers to begin to ‘rewild’ themselves, introducing hands-on techniques that will enable readers to both deeply connect with their environment and become proficient wildlife photographers.

“It will be a treasured gift for anyone with an appreciation of impressive photography, an abiding interest in the experience of exploring the natural world or a desire to enrich their wildlife photographic skills.” – Studio Magazine

9. The Science of Hope

Help Dad get Eye to Eye with our World’s Wildlife, and feel bolstered by the brilliant conservation work that’s happening around the globe.  

“Guaranteed to rekindle childhood wonder in even the worst pessimist” – Organic Gardening

Illustrated with images by one of the world’s leading wildlife photographers, The Science of Hope enraptures as it educates. It explores the science and psychology behind why certain animals – from elephants to polar bears, whales to penguins – capture the public’s imagination, while also highlighting positive conservation initiatives around the world.

Gifts for History Buff Dads

10. The Road to Gondwana

Send Dad on a journey hundreds of millions of years into the past, in search of the lost supercontinent – Gondwana. 

The Road to Gondwana traces the steps science took to find Gondwana, and the journey Gondwana itself took through billion years of Earth history. It is a story about deep time and the challenges that face those who venture there. It’s about the importance of imagination in science, and the reasons that the journey towards understanding is sometimes more important than the destination.  This is a story of many journeys, all of which lead to one semi-mythical, and yet completely real place – the lost supercontinent Gondwana.

11. Eight Hundred Heroes

A great gift for all the Dads who love an underdog story, or have an interest military history around the globe.  

From acclaimed historian Stephen Robinson comes an account of a battle that has taken on mythic dimensions in Chinese and international military history. From 26th October to 1st November 1937, the ‘800 Heroes’ defended Sihang Warehouse from wave after wave of Japanese assaults. Western journalists with front row seats to the spectacle spread the story across the globe as the plight of the heroes captured the sympathy of the world. This is the exciting story of the Battle of Sihang Warehouse told as never before.

12. The Voices of World War II

Some Dads have a special interest in collecting stories and memorabilia from wars throughout history. If your Dad is a World War II Dad, this visually stunning collection of first-hand memories is the perfect gift for his collection. 

Through memories sent in by families across New Zealand, Dad will gain a rare insight into wartime life across generations and vocations. Fascinating and genuine, it is both a tribute to the resilience and bravery of those who served in WWII, and a historical account which will teach younger generations about the lives of their ancestors.

13. Truthteller

This book will take Dad inside the world of investigative reporting in an intimate history of a reporter’s battles, won and lost, the personal and professional costs and the lives damaged along the way.

Using exclusive documents and interviews drawn from three decades as an award-winning reporter, editor, foreign correspondent, television producer, documentary filmmaker, and journalism educator, Stephen Davis reveals shocking details of deception in the United States, the UK, Russia, Sweden, the Baltic republics, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, the Arctic and Antarctic.

Gifts for Dad from The Little Ones

14. Bedtime, Daddy!

The perfect gift for Dads who know the struggles of wrangling a bedtime routine.

In this role-reversal story, putting Daddy to bed can be hard work. Especially when he starts crying! This story will show you how to wrestle your daddy into his pyjamas, read just one more bedtime story, battle bedtime excuses and use go-away monster spray until Daddy finally goes to sleep. Full of heart and humour, for anyone who wants to try to put a grown-up to bed.

15. This is My Dad

For the Dads who are also Mums, this is a beautiful gift for mums who are doing it alone.

Leo has never known a father figure, but that won’t stop him from telling his class about someone cool, courageous and clever on Tell Us About Your Dad Day – someone who might not be his dad, but is his everything. A heart-warming story for the Mums who do it all.

Dive deeper into the pages with these featured extracts