A heartfelt review of Daddy, How Much Do You Love Me? by Matt Markins—a tender Christian picture book about fatherhood, God’s love, and meaningful moments with kids.
There are some children’s books that feel sweet and enjoyable—and then there are books that quietly catch you off guard and settle somewhere deep in your heart. This book caught me off guard, but in the best way possible. Read until the end to find out why it personally touched my family’s heart.
Daddy, How Much Do You Love Me? was written by Matt Markins and illustrated by Daniela Sosa. The book was sent to me by New Growth Press for me to provide my honest thoughts and review.
Even before opening the cover, I already had a layer of trust in Matt Markins as an author. Last summer, our church staff read Forming Faith, and it was genuinely one of the better discipleship books I’ve come across. It was thoughtful, biblically grounded, and deeply practical. So naturally, I was excited to see what he would do in the picture book space.
Matt is also the CEO of Awana. I have two children participating in an Awana program, and we love the emphasis on scripture memorization and hiding God’s word in their hearts!
What I wasn’t expecting was how emotional this book would feel in our current season as a family. Like I said, read or scroll to the end to find out why.
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Recommended ages: 4–7 years
This book is written for children ages 4–7, and I think that feels exactly right. The language is simple and engaging enough for preschoolers while still meaningful for early elementary kids.
That said, as always with picture books like this, older siblings will still enjoy listening in—especially if they’re in a season of asking deeper questions about family, love, or faith.
Price: $16.99 at New Growth Press
At the time of writing this review, the hardcover version is priced around $16.99 through New Growth Press, though prices may vary depending on sales and retailers.
Our Favorite Part: My favorite part of this book is how naturally it points children to the love of God through ordinary moments between a father and son. Nothing feels overly preachy or forced. Plus, there is real situations shown instead of glossed over, like a dad who sometimes works too much.
Instead, it gently shows how everyday things—reading together, exploring outside, asking questions, wrestling, looking at the stars—become reminders of love.
And honestly, that quiet simplicity made it feel especially beautiful.
Daddy, How Much Do You Love Me?
At its core, Daddy, How Much Do You Love Me? is a tender story about a little boy asking a question many children wonder:
“Daddy, how much do you love me?”
As the story unfolds, a father and son spend intentional time together—reading books, dancing, exploring nature, imagining adventures through mountains and oceans, and simply being present with one another.
But what I appreciated most is that the story doesn’t stop with earthly love. Again and again, the father gently reminds his son that while his love is big, God’s love is even bigger.
Farther. Deeper. Higher. That thread runs through the entire story in such a sweet and age-appropriate way.
One particular line at the end completely got me: “And God loves you even more than I do.”
As much as we love our children—and goodness, we love them deeply—we are still imperfect reflections of the love of our Heavenly Father. And what a comfort that is.
More about the Author – Matt Markins
Matt Markins serves as the President and CEO of Awana and has spent decades focused on child discipleship and helping families grow in faith.
What stood out to me while reading is that this book clearly comes from someone who understands children and understands intentional discipleship.
It never feels like someone trying too hard to “teach a lesson.”
Instead, it feels like someone who deeply values the small moments that shape faith over time. As I mentioned earlier, already being familiar with Forming Faith gave me confidence going into this review. If you appreciated that book, I think you’ll appreciate the heart behind this one too.
More about the Illustrator – Daniela Sosa
The illustrations by Daniela Sosa are absolutely beautiful. Warm. Soft. Gentle.
They have this cozy, wonder-filled quality that perfectly matches the tone of the story. The pages feel calm without feeling boring, and there’s so much sweetness in the facial expressions and small moments between the dad and son.
My boys especially loved the outdoor adventure scenes—bugs, stars, mountains, exploring—it all feels very childlike in the best way. And as a mom who admittedly judges children’s books by the artwork a little bit (please tell me I’m not alone), this one is genuinely lovely to have sitting on the shelf.
The Layout
The format of the book is simple and approachable for little ones.
Short text and beautiful illustrations.
Plus, a repeated question woven throughout the story.
That simplicity makes it a great bedtime read, especially for younger children with shorter attention spans.
I also appreciated that the book includes a parent page at the end for dads, encouraging them to love their children intentionally through presence, patience, and meaningful connection.
Recommended Ages
I would agree with the recommended age range of 4–7 years old.
It feels especially fitting for preschool and early elementary children who are naturally asking questions and still deeply comforted by repetition and reassurance.
Where to Buy
You can find Daddy, How Much Do You Love Me? through several Christian booksellers and online retailers.
It is published by New Growth Press and available in hardcover.
Final Mom Thoughts
If I had to summarize this book in one sentence, I would say:
It feels like a warm reminder that love is often shown in ordinary moments.
I also want to gently say this: this book landed differently for me in our current season. Right now, my husband Dan is not in the home, and naturally, my boys have had big feelings surrounding that. Questions. Sadness. Missing their dad in everyday moments. He’ll be back eventually, but right now they have lots of questions.
Because of that, this book felt especially tender to read. There were parts that felt bittersweet. But oddly enough, hopeful too. Because while this book beautifully celebrates the love of a father, it also quietly reminds children that even when earthly relationships feel hard or complicated, God’s love remains steady.
That mattered to me more than I expected.
And while this story beautifully highlights the love between a father and child, what I loved most is that it ultimately points to a love even greater than ours—the steadfast, unchanging love of God.
For our family, this one felt especially meaningful in a tender season.
It brought up emotions.
It sparked conversations.
And in its own quiet way, it reminded us that even when life feels different than expected, the love of our Heavenly Father remains unchanged.
And that’s a truth worth returning to again and again.
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