Hi. I'm a dad in the Pacific Northwest with two kids — a daughter who's eight and a son who's four — and I read to them every night. That's the whole premise of this site. I read a lot of kids' books, I have strong opinions about them, and nobody in my actual life wants to hear 800 words about why Goodnight Moon is secretly a fever dream. So I put the opinions here.
I grew up in the 80s and 90s on Roald Dahl, E.B. White, Shel Silverstein, Gary Paulsen, and whatever Choose Your Own Adventure books my library would let me check out five at a time. A lot of those books are still on the shelf at my house, and a lot of them hold up better than I expected. Some of them don't. Part of what I'm doing here is being honest about the difference.
What I review
Board books. Picture books. Early readers. Chapter books. Occasional poetry collections when I feel like it. Ages zero-ish to about twelve. If it's a book I've actually read to my kids — or a book I remember reading as a kid and want to revisit — it's fair game. I buy the books myself. Nobody sends me anything. Nobody pays me to say anything.
My rating system, such as it is
I rate on a five-star scale that is shockingly subjective. Five stars means the book is a classic and I will stand outside your house at night staring at the window until you read it. Four means it's legitimately great. Three means it's fine — I don't resent reading it. Two means I'd quietly move it to the bottom of the pile. One means I've hidden it behind the couch so we "can't find it."
I also break down each review into six criteria: writing quality, read-aloud fun, how it holds up on re-reads (this is the hidden killer), kid engagement, message and values, and something I call Dad Survival Rate — which is basically how many times I can read it in a row before I start narrating it in the voice of a dying Victorian clergyman just to entertain myself.
The voice
I'm funny when I can be, honest when I have to be, and I try very hard to not write the kind of children's book review that reads like it was generated by a committee at a magazine that doesn't exist anymore. I notice small things. I flag my nostalgia when it's doing the work instead of the book. I don't use the word "whimsical."
Who this is for
Parents who read to their kids and want honest opinions before they buy another book. Grandparents looking for gift ideas that aren't a third copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Teachers who are curious what a parent actually thinks about books the kid brings home. Anyone who wants to remember what they read when they were eight.
How to reach me
If you want to tell me I'm wrong about a book, recommend one I haven't reviewed, or ask me something, head over to the contact page. I read everything. I respond to most of it. Eventually.