Books for Kids: Dads and Grand-dads Rock

Dads and granddads are great! Not just because we think they love gadgets (they do, right?) but because they are a never-ending source of advice (good and bad), laughter (not always MIL-approved), hugs (and kisses) and fun (always). Celebrate the dads and granddads in your lives with these books.

Just Because You’re Mine

Written by Sally Lloyd-Jones, illustrated by Frank Endersby

Little Red Squirrel is a sweet little fellow who frantically shows his daddy everything he can do and tries to understand why his daddy loves him so. If you have a little squirrel who’s eager to share everything he or she learned today, your child will relate to Little Red Squirrel looking up to his father figure and sharing his best secrets.

Grandpa’s Garden

Written by Stella Fry, Illustrated by Sheila Moxley

When a boy helps his grand-father plant a vegetable garden, he also learns about the importance of bugs and garden planning. In a world of instant gratification, watching a garden grow is trying for a child – but oh how rewarding by summer’s end! If your child loves to dig and turn, plant and harvest, this book’s great for granddad/grandkid teams and includes end pages on planning a vegetable patch (with map) as well as detailed seasonal garden chores to keep busy all year.

Mister Seahorse

Written and illustrated by Eric Carle

Moms, get ready to be swept off your feet. When seahorse moms lay their eggs, they lay them in seahorse dads’s pouches and the dads babysit their eggs until they hatch and swim out as baby seahorses. How’s that for daddy love? This book on sea animals and their parenting behaviors is not just educational; it’s also a beautiful story with transparent pages hiding underwater scenes and unique animals. Way to go dads!

The Kid Dictionary: Hilarious Words to Describe the Indescribable Things Kids Do

Written by Mark Ruheback

What does Garboflage mean? “To hide a piece of your child’s artwork under other trash in the wastebasket so he/she doesn’t catch you throwing it away.” And obviously, Wishjack is “To blow out the candles on another child’s birthday cake.” Need a laugh? Written by a dad, this dictionary to the darnedest and cleverest things kids and their parents do will lighten up your days – and maybe inspire more mischief.

Geek Dad: Awesomely Geeky Projects and Activities for Dads and Kids To Share

Written by Ken Denmead

Written by Wired’s very own Geek Dad, this how-to manual will inspire weekend projects the likes of which you’ve never thought about. Think Battlestar Galactica meets Lego man. Geared towards older kids (preschool and up), this book includes detailed instructions to make your own coloring books, electronic origami, Lego holiday tree or menorah, fireflies for every season or superhero ABC books. The options are so cool! Now the kids can learn about electronics.

This review first appeared in the Golden Gate Mothers Group Magazine, June 2012, as the Books for Kids column. I’ve been writing this column since 2005.