17 June is Father's Day. Here are a few tales of dads (or pseudo dads) to mark the occasion.
About a boy by Nick Hornby
Will doesn't want children and can't see why everyone keeps recommending them, but he likes single mothers, especially if they look like Julie Christie. As a result he gets involved in a single parents' group and invents a two year old son whose absence needs constant explanations.
Braille 5v; giant print 2v; TB 12419
The horse boy: the true story of a father's miraculous journey to heal his son by Rupert Isaacson
Autistic Rowan was tormented by raging fits then, one day, father and son were walking in the woods near their house and stumbled across their neighbour's old brown horse, Betsy.
Braille 6v; giant print 4v; TB 18116
Fathers and sons by Richard Madeley
Richard's grandfather had a childhood of betrayal and sadness. His family abandoned him as a child to older relatives and emigrated without telling him. Richard's mother, a Canadian, introduced more loving and demonstrative relationships which Richard has continued with his own son and step-sons.
Braille 5v; giant print 3v; TB 16523
Blind trust by Red Szell
Robbed of 90 per cent of his vision by a degenerative eye disorder, Joe's goals, are simple: to raise his two sassy daughters properly while avoiding close physical contact with street furniture and bored banker's wives.
TB 19304
Galileo's daughter: a drama of science, faith and love by Dava Sobel
Galileo is seen as one of the greatest scientists, but little is known of his illegitimate daughter, Virginia. As a nun, she wrote 120 letters to her father from 1623 to her death from exposure and malnutrition 10 years later.
Braille 8v; TB 15434