The #1 Dad Book: Be the Best Dad You Can Be—in One Hour

Bestseller Patterson (The Writer) steps away from suspense for this good-natured collection of wisdom about fatherhood. Much of the advice centers on the challenges of infanthood, including naming one’s baby (steer clear of names that “seem funny, or cute, or clever in the moment,” because “you’re going to be calling it out many thousands of times over the next eighteen years”), dealing with diapers (fathers should “embrace the poop” and avoid putting off changes, which can lead to diaper rash), and reading to one’s kids, which exposes the young brain to “almost three hundred thousand more words before kindergarten” and stokes older kids’ curiosity. Meanwhile, dads of older children are reminded of the continued importance of physical touch (“Hugging isn’t just for babies”), consistency, and forging bonds with other dads. Patterson brings a wry touch to his advice, mixing deeper truths (“The idea is not to change your kids into who you are.... It’s to help them discover who they are”) with lighter fare (of baby wipes: ”you can never have too many”) and sensibly encouraging readers to shoot for progress over perfection. Seasoned dads and dads-to-be will find value here. (May)