Listopia: A Book My Father Gave Me

Good Reads has a lovely blog post about a Listopia list they have created, entitled A Book My Father Gave Me:

"Father's Day is this Sunday, and that makes it the perfect time to look at the books fathers most commonly give their children, as well as to explore how those books have changed our members' lives. A week or so ago, we created the Listopia list A Book My Father Gave Me, and asked our members to vote for a book and share their memories of books given to them by their fathers."

One of the last books I remember reading together with my father before his death was Farley Mowat's The dog who wouldn't be (our exact cover image at left; I still have this edition). My father's comic gifts were put to use marvelously in this tale of a boy and his Mutt. Mutt is bought for the grand total of 4¢ by Farley’s mum and likes to think himself more than a dog. He behaves like a human being, with his own quirks and habits, and his own sense of justice in the world. He is a noble dog who has his ridiculous moments, both intentional and accidental: he likes to play with owls, geese, cows, ducks and even skunks….. He likes to ride in the car with his head hanging out the window – wearing driving goggles, of course!

I recently bought a new copy of this book for my neice (cousin's eldest daughter, so that's not the right term and I don't care), who had a birthday and is now the same age I was when my father read it to me.

What book or books did your father give you?