DoB welcomes our third author and first non-daughter, non-Dan guest! None other than the perfectly paraphrasing prosaist of Ms. Pennypickle’s Puzzle Quest multiple award-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author Chris Grabenstein.

We get to the bottom of the meaning and pronunciation of his name (nom de plume); how he writes; and how his writing was influenced by his experience in improv (back when he was Chris “The Banker” Grabenstein, chilling with Bruce “The Bartender” Willis and Robin "Yes, THAT one" Williams), radio, the ad game, and even banking (a guy's gotta eat).

Chris loves alliteration, imagination, and collaboration with authors like James Patterson, the G. T. Carber, and even his very own wife JJ. who is best first read and unofficial editor.

We talk about Ms. Pennypickle’s Puzzle Quest, and many of his other books, including The Island of Dr. Libris, Shine, The Crossroads, Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, Murdle Jr.: Sleuths on the Loose, Stinky's Stories#2: Jack and the Beanstink, and The Smartest Kid in the Universe. Why so many books? Because Chris writes a lot, and we love his books a lot, and because we are Dads on Books. It's what we do.

And that’s just in this episode! Stay tuned for part two next week!

If you liked this episode, you'll LOVE these:

Our first Dan Guest: Dan Gutman Part One and Part Two
And our second Dan Guest: Dan Yaccarino parte uno and parte due

And now a word from our sponsors. (Well not really sponsors, just places we get books and hope that you'll go to if you need one).

A House with Books
Talking Animals Books
River Forest Public Library
Grapevine Public Library
Keller Public Library

Mike and David are moved by the inspiring story of Ruby Bridges, a six year old, black girl who was integrated into New Orleans public schools in 1960.

After David learned of her story through Fr. Mike’s (no relation) homily at his girls’ Catholic school, they decided to pick not one, but two books about Ruby Bridges to read and talk about:

The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles

and

Through My Eyes: Ruby Bridges by Ruby Bridges

And talk they do. In an episode where they aren't as wacky or silly as they normally are, Mike and David talk about Ruby Bridges' story; American history and race; and their own experiences, perceptions, and thoughts on issues that are still relevant today.

The episode features less laughing, and more thinking, a touch less of their silliness, and a handful of more seriousness. But, like all of their episodes, the Dads step up and show the power that books and what they teach really matters. Based on a true important event in the American civil rights movement, Mike and David talk for over an hour and decided this would be one long, thoughtful, thought provoking episode, talking about kids, books, heroes, history, and, so so much more!

If you enjoy this episode, read another book about Black American history, and let us know about it at DadsOnBooks@gmail.com. We all should be more aware of these stories. They are part of our history as Americans.

If you want to know more about Ruby and her foundation, take a look at the Ruby Bridge's Foundation website.

And if you like this episode, take a listen to one these if you haven't already:

More American history: George Washington’s Teeth

Dan Yaccarino episodes: Parte Uno, Parte Due

And now a word from our sponsors. (Well not really sponsors, just places we get books and hope that you'll go to if you need one).

A House with Books
River Forest Public Library
Grapevine Public Library
Keller Public Library

And a library that had a great Black History month design:
Timberland Regional Library

Did you know that George Washington had fake teeth? We did, too. Did you know it was a problem his entire adult life? Neither did we. Did you know he didn’t have wooden teeth? Neither did we. Did you know that he led the Continental army to win the Revolutionary War? We did, too. Just seeing if you’re paying attention. Good job.

While this episode of Dads on Books is just as fun as all the other ones, we decided to celebrate Presidents’ Day with a little bit of learning and a whole lot of fun.

Check it out, and hold onto your dentures. It’s gonna be a bumpy night.

And if you liked tghis one, you'll LOVE these:

Dan Gutman's episodes: Part 1, Part 2
Dan Yaccarino's episode: Parte Uno, Parte Due
More fun water color Mrs. McTats and her House Full of Cats and Guess How Much I Love You?

Some of our favorite places to get books:

A House with Books
River Forest Public Library
Grapevine Public Library
Keller Public Library

In their very first Pete the Cat episode, Mike and David talk and talk and talk about being home alone—aaaaaaaarrrrg!!!—and snow and sleds and Ace the friendly hardware place and lightbulbs—the new college major and, one more thing... oh yeah! the book!!

Pete the Cat--Valentine's Day is Cool has a lot of meaningful memories for Mike and his girls and none whatsoever for David's, but they both loved the book. In a role reversal, Mike actually has the book with a poster: missing, some Valentine's Day cards: AWOL, and stickers: gone, I tell you! David, on the other hand, read the "book" by "watching" a reading of it from the Lollipop Animated Book series on YouTube. Welcome to 21st century reading, how can I help you?

The book is a lot of fun, but David notices the word "love" is never really said. Mike points out that love comes in many different forms for many different people or cats. And bus drivers. And facilities managers. And crossing guards. Happy National Crossing Guard Day--February 10!! OK, State Crossing Guard Day in Texas where David is. You'll have to wait until early May in Illinois where Mike is. Because it has to thaw?

As we celebrate Valentine's Day, enjoy this this super fun, super silly, and even a little poignant book about empathy for other people— and cats— a common and important theme in our friend Dan Yaccarino's books. (the empathy, not the cats)

Check it out.

If you liked this episode, check out these two:

Dan Yaccarino parte uno and parte due

A House with Books

Grapevine Public Library

Keller Public Library

Mike and David are such fans of the Dans, especially Dan Yaccarino author of Piccolo, they had to split their awesome, fun, super conversation in two—due!—episodes.

This time the Dads and the Dan talk about stories, books (The Luna Sisters) and of course, mid-century modern. Even though they post every Monday, they read and talked about Every Friday. They laughed, they cried, they promised not to pretend to cry.

We finally get to the bottom of why Dan does what he does and digs what he digs. You dig? Listen to find out, but know that he loves creating characters and worlds and ends our conversation where it began: in empathy and kindness. Good stuff.

Check it out.

If you liked this episode, check out these:

Dan Yaccarino parte uno

Our first Dan Guest: Dan Gutman Part One and Part Two

Our other groovy plaid patterns episode: Pinkalicious

A House with Books

Grapevine Public Library

Keller Public Library

Mike and David continue their celebration of Danuary with their second author guest Dan Yaccarino which means all of their guests are either daughters or Dans. They had so much fun, this is only part one!

Dan and the Dads talk about Dan's latest book, Piccolo and its celebration of Dan's Italian heritage and its themes of putting others before yourself and the importance of gelato. That's Italian for ice cream. They also discuss I Am a Story, An Octopus Followed Me Home, The Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau, City Under the City, One, Two, Grandma Loves You, and Willa's Wild Life. There's even some mid-century modern and Yac Man—uh Pac Man (AKA Gabo Gabo in Italia). Check it out.

And this is only part uno. Stay tuned for part due next week when we'll talk about even more books! And reading. And parenting. And stuff.

If you liked this episode, check out these:

Our Very first episode, The Giving Tree

Our first Dan Guest: Dan Gutman Part One and Part Two

For Greek mythology geeks like us: Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief: Voyage to Vegas with a zebra, tin cans and 7 layer dip

A House with Books

Grapevine Public Library

In our continuing celebration of "DANUARY!!!", Mike and David discuss Danny and Danny’s Doodles— which turn out to be not quite as doodly or noodley as you might think— plus other fun stuff in a book, that’s oddly doodly, oodly, feudily, silly billy, and even a touch serious.

They’ve got everything! There’s mismatched socks, a string diet where even the tuna is stringy, unevenly short pants, and sensible shoes (sensible black shoes, I can't trust this writer at all, can I?), and David and Mike play a new game show: Guess which baseball movie this is!?! There’s a school that has silly kids and a mean teacher. And even she is human after all. (Hmmm, sounds like a teacher I meet in room 27, or was it 26, hmmm).

Mike discusses the legend of Kelly Dean and the Great Experiment of Jelly Bean, but you need to read the book to find out about the ladder.

It’s a fun ride of a fun book with two fun guys, hold the mushrooms.

If you liked this episode, you’ll love these:
Dan Gutman

What??? More Dan Gutman

Big Words for Little People

And many more.... if you can find them....

Mike and David struggle with the calendar but successfully locate Danny and the Dinosaur in David’s attic, aka Narnia. This "50sy" classic features a dinosaur that fluctuates from "row-house sized" to "lamp-post thin". The Dads explore the Syd Hoff-ance—the 27-year gap between sequels—and David’s 2055 "heaven" debut. They close with "killer" jokes about —nope, note telling and still not telling. Happy reading!