BOOKS

When I first started going to the kids' section at the library and bookstores when my boys were born, I didn't always have a good idea of what to look for. If you're lucky, you can find a librarian or book-seller that is well-versed in children's literature, but if not, looking through all the books on your own can be overwhelming because there are just SO MANY! I had the hardest time finding "family crafts" books. So, I've included the best ones of those that I've found and all the books my boys have gotten the most enjoyment out of. I also have included some Parenting books, some humorous, some not, all helpful!

Arts, Crafts, Activities, and Science Experiments

For quality time with your kids, you can't beat this sort of thing. My boys and I try to find some sort of activity to do almost nightly. Some are more fun than others, and you'll be more successful at some than others, but all are fun. All will make memories!

How to Entertain, Distract, and Unplug Your Kids by Matthew Jervis

Dad's Book of Awesome Science Experiments by Mike Adamick

Dad's Book of Awesome Projects by Mike Adamick

Geek Dad by Ken Denmead

Unbored by Joshua Glenn

Handy Dad by Todd Davis

Toddler's Busy Book by Trish Kuffner

Preschooler's Busy Book by Trish Kuffner

Children's Busy Book by Trish Kuffner

Chapter Books

Scholastic.com categorizes "Chapter Books" as stories that are long enough to be divided into chapters but not long or complicated enough to be a novel. They suggest that kids are ready to transition to these around 7-8, but I liked reading them TO my 5 year old twins, a chapter or two per night. It's fun to leave them with cliffhangers. That way the next night, they're excited to hear more!

Are you unsure what books fit the level your kid is ready to read? Check out www.arbookfind.com to search by title or reading level to find more choices to add to your kid's reading list.

A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy

Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey

Amelia Bedilia by Peggy Parish

Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel

BFG by Roald Dahl

Big Nate by Lincoln Pierce

Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Bunnicula by James Howe

Cam Jansen Mysteries by David A. Adler

Captain Awesome by Stan Kirby

Charlotte's Web by EB White

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Dog Man by Dav Pilkey

Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon

Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J. Sobol

Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown

Goosebumps by RL Stine

Humphrey the Hamster series by Betty G. Birney

Judy Moody by Megan McDonald

Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park

Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier

Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne

Mouse on a Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary

Ramona Quimby by Beverly Cleary

Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid by Megan McDonald

Stuart Little by EB White

Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing/SuperFudge by Judy Blume

Wayside School by Louis Sachar

Wild Robot by Peter Brown

Yuck by Matt and Dave

Picture Books

Most of these are series, so you can really make the kids happy by reading the continuing adventures of their favorite characters.

When you're reading Pete the Cat out loud, you get to test out your singing chops because most of them are written as songs.

Tickle Monster is very interactive since there are MANY stopping points to give time for tickling your audience.

Smaller kids simply love the Spot books or any of the other "Lift the Flap" style books because they can get involved with the story.

Knuffle Bunny is kind of bittersweet because you watch the main girl grow up and not need her beloved stuffed animal as much as she gets older (the 3rd book).

The reader gets to really ham up the mad and whiny voices when reading the Pigeon books.

My favorites, though, are the Skippyjon Jones books. There are hilarious, include singing and fun accents and star a Siamese cat that thinks he's a Chihuahua!

(Plus there are picture books that I'm especially proud of because I made them for my boys, "The Adventures of Doogada and Bay" and "Short Sleeve Superman" which you can see on my YouTube channel.)

Anything by Shel Silverstein (especially Giraffe and a Half)

Don't Let the Pigeon... Series by Mo Willems

Great Monster Hunt by Norbery Landa

How Do Dinosaurs... Series by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague

I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll and Howard McWilliam

Knuffle Bunny Series by Mo Willems

Llama Llama Series by Anna Dewdney

Pete the Cat Series by James Dean and Eric Litwin

Pig and Elephant Series by Mo Willems

Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner

Spot books by Eric Hill

Tickle Monster by Josie Bissett and Kevan J. Atteberry

Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams

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Parenting Books

These books, often humorous, were written to provide parenting advice, to let you know how to get through certain situations, giving you advice and letting you know you're the only one to experience your parenting situations.

Babyhood and Familyhood by Paul Reiser

Be Prepared: A Practical Handbook for New Dads by Gary Greenberg

Hair-Raising Joys of Raising Boys by Dave Meurer

What to Expect When You're Expecting by Heidi Murkoff

New Dad's Survival Guide by Scott MacTavish

No Wonder My Parents Drank by Jay Mohr

Parenting by the Book by John Rosemond

Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan

Things to Do and Travel Books

These books highlight fun things and places to do and go in life. Specifically, the travel books tell you the best places to visit in each and every spot throughout the world AND why those places are the best. I use the travel books in planning my trips, to get ideas, scouring them all (and adding in Google searches) to make sure no stone goes unturned and I hit all the best spots as I travel.

I use the "things to do", especially the ones aimed at growing up, to help ensure I catch all "rites of passage" for my boys at the right stage in their lives.

1000 Places to See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz

1000 Places to See in United States and Canada Before You Die by Patricia Schultz

500 Things to Do with Your Children Before They Grow Up by Linda Williams Aber

101 Things You Gotta Do Before You're 12 by Joanne O'Sullivan

101 Places You Gotta See Before You're 12 by Joanne O'Sullivan

Bucket List by Kath Stathers

Roadside America by Mike Wilkins

Road Trip USA by Jamie Jensen

Weird US by Mark Moran and Mark Sceurman

I'd be remiss not to push my own travel book at this point, which I culled together from research and traveling the United States with my Family. It's available on Amazon if you're interested.

The Family 50: Roadtripping the United States by Mickey Farmer

Young Adult

Many of these have been turned into movies lately because they're so popular, but 99% of the time, books are better. I know most people would say 100%, but the 2 books in particular I'm thinking of were equal or even better as movies, yet they don't quite fit into a "Dad" site ...so let's just say they were written by Chuck Palahniuk and Hunter S. Thompson...

Are you unsure what books fit the level your kid is ready to read? Check out www.arbookfind.com to search by title or reading level to find more choices to add to your kid's reading list.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Half Upon A Time by James Riley

Harry Potter by JK Rowling

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Jack Blank by Matt Myklusch

Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

Maze Runner by James Dashner

Middle School: Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson

Nightmares by Jason Segel