Reading with Dad: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Fathers’ Literacy Practices in China and the United States

Family literacy research has often centered on mothers, with fathers’ roles receiving comparatively less attention, particularly in studies that examine family literacy across cultural contexts. This study, comparing the literacy practices of fathers with young children in China and the United States, explores cultural patterns of paternal family literacy engagement. The article reveals the relationship between father and child demographic characteristics (age, education, income, child age, number of children, and child gender) and fathers’ literacy involvement in two countries. Using a survey instrument administered to 500 fathers (250 in the United States and 250 in China), the study analyzes fathers’ participation in shared reading, storytelling, literacy support behaviors, including purchasing books, visiting libraries, and providing access to literacy materials, using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. Results indicate that while fathers in both countries value their children’s literacy development, American fathers report higher levels of direct interaction in family literacy while Chinese fathers tend to indirectly support their children’s reading. Further, the study found that fathers’ education levels were positively associated with engagement across both countries. The article highlights the importance of understanding culturally oriented family literacy initiatives that actively include fathers and suggests implications for future family literacy program development.