Dads Read Too

JER:  “Outfoxed”  by Mike Twohy is a great silly book.  The Fox is disappointed to barely escape the fence and guard dogs only to find that he didn’t end up grabbing a chicken from the henhouse.  It looks like a “duck”, but slobbers, chews up his clothes, and wakes him up with hot breath in his face.  He finally has enough and takes it back, but a surprise greets him when he arrives back home. 

JER:  “So Many Gifts”  by Anne Marie Pierce  is a bit out of season for February, but when I found it at my parents’ house on a trip to Utah with Lake - I instantly loved it.   It perfectly describes the way I want to think about Santa Claus and Christmas.  Primary Theme: a dream that “all would [receive] gift[s]”  Secondary Theme: passing on kindness to others Summary: the books envisions the origin story of Santa from a “very long tine ago, in a place I can’t remember”. There was a person who wanted to instill the joy of discovery in children, to make them laugh, and they wanted to make sure that as many children as possible could be rewarded with laughter.  But Santa soon realized that they would need “helpers”, and all the children who had received gifts in the past worked to help Santa develop “endless supplies of fantasy and myth”. We all are “Santa”, and we can keep alive the kindness that generated from one kind person. ...

The Treasure of Pirate Frank  by Mal Peet, Elspeth Graham and illustrated by Jez Tuya A: ☠️🗺A fun treasure hunt sparking a sense of adventure and discovery with many steps to go through and remember! And a big surprise at the destination! Sometimes our adventures (or just daily tasks) don’t end the way we think they will, but that doesn’t mean they are’t worth doing!! The story builds each page upon the last (like the little old lady who swallowed a fly) and then back down after they reach the ‘❌’ that marks the spot! Primary Theme: Adventure may not end where you think Secondary Themes: Strong female character, multiple steps to a process, overcoming obstacles Summary: From the Nosy Crow website: “A boy and his dog set sail in search of treasure, braving stormy seas... mountains snowy and cold... the swamp where the bullfrogs sing... and other challenging obstacles, before finally reaching the end of their quest. But wait! Pirate Frank is A GIRL! And she doesn’t want ...

Dad Tip: Let them vacuum! This vacuum is the amazing because it can be at kid height!! Our 2 year old loves it! We just leave the handle short on this model and let him go to town!!! He is obsessed! Thanks  @dyson , you should think about making a true functioning kids vacuum!! If you to purchase feel free to use this link! We get a small kickback if you do, but just happy to share if it helps someone with daily chores and keeping the littles busy!! (also teaching life skills!)

JER: “ Where’s Spot? ” by Eric Hill might be the most well “loved” book in our house.  It is so well “loved” that many of the distinctive flaps in this “lift-the-flap” book were “loved” off of their board-book-pages . . . But I am pretty proud of my make-shift replacement flaps.  A fun way to increase interaction with a toddler is to sign the name of the animal as they are revealed behind the flap. “Is Spot behind the door? ‘No’, says the snake” (accompanied by a hissing snake sign). The “Learn ASL App” is really great for learning basic sign language. 

JER: “ Before I Wake Up ” by Britta Teckentrup is a soothing visual and lyrical trip.  The colors and dream-like journey lull you to sleep.  

JER: "LLAMAPHONES " by Janik Coat is a perfect book to start with for infants and toddlers.  I love the clever use of homonyms: rose vs rows, stair vs stare, sent vs cent, etc.  But the most appealing part for first time readers is the tactile graphics that are really fun to feel, and the LLAMAS, how could I forget about the LLAMAS.  

Andy:  Sometimes we need to imagine WITH our kids... I am often so caught up in reality and trying to have “teaching moments” that I forget to be playful. The biggest wake up is when I started pretending and my daughter gave me a crazy look, suggesting, “you are’t serious are you?? You don’t ever say thing in true.” I remember getting so caught up in my imagination as a kid, I think it is okay to get “carried away” from time to time, and just have some pure fun with our kids! Grandma is reminding me of that in this beautifully illustrated, fun book, There's a Tiger in the Garden ! ;) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Primary Theme: Playful Imagination Secondary Themes: Outdoor playtime ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Summary: From the inside jacket cover, “When grandma says she’s seen a tiger in the garden, Nora doesn’t believe her. She’s too old to play grandma’s silly games! Everyone knows that tigers live in jungles, not gardens. So even when Nora sees dragonflies as big as birds, and plants that try to eat her toy ...

JER: “ Fox and the Jumping Contest ” is the first book by author/illustrator Corey R. Tabor.  Although there is a lot I liked about the book, it received mixed reviews in my family.  I really love the artwork, I love the way the author was able tell a complex story loaded with hidden subtext, and I was really impressed with how they were able to do it without any unnecessary pages or prose.  I often find myself bored with children's books before they are over, but each page, each scene in the background, and each word in this book is necessary and fun.  That being said, the Fox is a complex character that left Mallory and Lake feeling conflicted when the Fox managed to “sort of win” without really “jumping”. Should we be celebrating Fox’s “scheming”?  Or should we focus on Frog’s style, Turtle’s hard work, or Rabbit’s skill?  It's hard to know who you should be rooting for, and because of that - Mallory and Lake weren’t ready to cheer for Fox, but...

A:   Mingo the Flamingo    by Pete Oswald and Justin K Thompson. I am so happy we stumbled upon this one at the library! It is such a great story of separation and reunification, but more importantly about unexpected friends. I am sure we can all relate to finding ourselves among strangers and the anxiety that goes along with that. We forget that kids feel this way, A LOT! Here is a book that teaches them getting to know people (who can become new friends) is very rewarding! And I love the page that teaches that practice doesn’t make us perfect, it makes us stronger for sure, but never perfect! Sometimes we need that extra help to reach our goals!! Lots of   for Mingo!! (From two very accomplished authors, thank you guys!) I really hope Mingo has some more adventures!  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Primary Theme: Unexpected friendships Secondary Themes: Separation and reunion, practice makes you stronger but not perfect, what friends are for ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Summary: fro...