A father's love can mean the difference between a healthy, stable childhood and one that's not. For a girl, it can also show her what to expect from her future relationships and it can provide a haven when the world's not what it should be.

As our thoughts turn to Dad and everything he does for us, here's a lovely book that celebrates the special father-daughter bond and could be a gift appreciated by either half of that pair.

"Why A Daughter Needs A Dad," by Gregory E. Lang, is a beautiful work that offers both simple and profound things daughters get from their fathers. The author reflects on his relationship with his own daughter and offers inspirational phrases about why a girl needs a good father and what, exactly, she needs from him. The pages are illustrated with simple black and white photos of girls and women with their fathers.

The book shows women needing strength, encouragement, and support from their fathers from their birth through their own struggles as mothers. It is striking because, while it offers the sentimental things girls can receive from their fathers, like unconditional love and a "hero" image, it also stresses the importance of having dads teach girls to fix things themselves, to be self-sufficient and independent, and to have equality and friendship in their marriages. "A daughter needs a dad to teach her what it means to always be there," the author says.

This book would make a lovely Father's Day gift.



ALSO "Why A Son Needs A Dad," by the same author and publishing company. Riding on the success of the first title about daughters, this book offers a son's viewpoint of the important role fathers' play in boys' lives.

Pick up a copy of "Why A Son Needs A Dad," by Gregory E. Lang (Cumberland House, 2003; 128 pages. Hard cover, 14.95).


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