A delightful intro to dad-ing. Plenty of jokes and a good bit of practical suggestions, some which felt dated (due to technology) - since it was written in 2004. One suggestion in particular I read after-the-fact, but when traveling with a little one, put a chair between you and the pack-and-play with a towel over it. That way when he wakes up, he won't see you and cry continuously. That advice would have saved us a night a sleep and been worth the price of the book. Too bad I read it a few days after traveling. Hah! Such is life. ( )

Be Prepared by Gary Greenberg is an all-in-one guide for new dads for whom reading books is not necessarily a regular activity. Contained within, and easily accessible, is all the valuable info a busy dad could need at any point during your newborn's first year—from those sleep-deprived first weeks to the here-before-you-know-it monthly milestones. And to make things a little bit more fun to read, the chapters are sprinkled with silly drawings, bullet lists and plenty of anecdotal humor.

I'm T-minus just a few weeks to becoming a dad myself and I plan on keeping this book handy throughout the upcoming year. ( )