Father's Day Pick: My Dad Still Thinks He's Funny

Peta Jinnath Andersen is an Online Consultant for Walker Books Australia. Her absolute, forever-and-ever favourite children's books are Guess How Much I Love You, A Bit Lost, Howl's Moving Castle, A Wrinkle in Time, A Monster Calls, and Winnie-the-Pooh. 

Father’s Day is almost upon us again – it is just three weeks away. In our family, there are gifts (socks, homemade cards, books, something incredibly-tasty-but-very-unhealthy-and-cholesterol-raising), a meal, sometimes a walk, and, always, dad jokes.

I’ve been fascinated by dad jokes for a long time. After all, they’ve been around as long as…well, as long as Dads. But what makes a dad joke a dad joke?

Is it the groan-worthy punchlines?

Is it the unadulterated joy of dads everywhere as they deliver groan-worthy punchlines?

Or is it simply that a dad’s jokes never change, because even after years, Dad still thinks he’s funny?

Truly, I’m not sure.

More importantly, though, as an adult I’ve come to appreciate dad jokes. They are a quintessential dad thing. (I've told you fifty million times, don’t exaggerate.) When life does its lemony thing and you’re left with a pile of citrus one side and are completely out of sugar on the other, a true dad will be right there with you, cracking a joke about it being all right, because you’re sweet enough. And therein lies the brilliance of the dad joke: sure, they’re groan-inducing, but, for a split second at least, they’re a laugh-worthy reminder that we are loved. 

Text © 2013 Katrina Germein/Illustration © 2013 Tom Jellett.

This Father’s Day, we’ll eat, drink, and hand over the requisite pair of argyles. We’ll also retell some old chestnuts – there is something wonderful to be said for well-worn jokes, because they are warm and cosy, like a favourite pair of slippers – and perhaps read a few new ones. After all, it might be possible – might – to teach an old dad new tricks.

Learn more about My Dad Still Thinks He’s Funny here, or hop over  to read more about its bestselling companion, My Dad Thinks He's Funny.

Bestselling picture book author Katrina Germein writes stories that delight children and adults alike.  In 2011 Katrina's book My Dad Thinks He's Funny was short-listed for children's choice awards across Australia as well as being Highly Commended in the Prime Minister's Literary Awards.

Tom Jellett's books have included: Hot Stuff by Margaret Clark, Fuzz the Famous Fly by Emily Rodda, and Australia at the Beach, a picture book by Max Fatchen. Tom now lives in Sydney and works as an illustrator for The Australian. My Dad Thinks He's Funny was shortlisted in the 2011 APA Design Awards.