Bonding through books: How The Library Dads are reversing the literacy crisis and building brotherhood
By La’Tasha Givens
Click here for updates on this story
ATLANTA (WUPA) — It starts with the “Daddy Wave.” From there, a group of Metro Atlanta fathers and their children embark on a high-energy adventure into the land of books, complete with an on-screen roller coaster, group sing-alongs, and plenty of “tickle time.”
They are known as The Library Dads, a movement that is turning quiet library corners into hubs of fatherhood and literacy building foundations.
A few years ago, Khari Arnold began taking his then-four-month-old daughter Ariah, to the library. What started as a solo father-daughter outing quickly evolved into a mission.
“After a year, I decided it would make sense to get other dads involved in learning how to bond through books,” Arnold said. “From there, we built a brotherhood.”
That brotherhood has become a vital support system for local fathers. For many, like Kassell Scott, the experience is transformative. Scott recently attended a meetup for the first time with his three-year-old daughter, Amahle.
“It was eye-opening to see other dads like myself who are engaged, and it was motivating as well,” Scott noted.
While the meetups are filled with fun and excitement, one of the main goals is to address the literacy crisis and reducing the isolation some fathers feel.
Derrick Lampkin has been bringing his sons, Dominique and Tristan, to the group for the past year. Now, his 7-month-old daughter Madeleine Sophia is joining the tradition.
“We continue coming because it shows my boys that dads show up,” Lampkin said. “They’re there, and it’s a good community.”
The results of this consistent engagement are measurable. Arnold says that by the age of 18 months, his daughter Ariah already had a working vocabulary of 250 words.
“That’s because she constantly heard those sounds and syllables being planted inside her brain,” Arnold explained. By prioritizing reading, these fathers are ensuring their children have a head start before they ever step into a classroom.
The Library Dads tour continues next weekend (April 18th) at Toco Hills Library in Decatur with the final stop for the spring at the Gwinnett County Library Norcross Branch.
The library events are free, but often fill up quickly. Interested families are encouraged to register online in advance to secure a spot.
Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.