I'm a new dad and I love this book. I'm a younger father (25-30 range) and this book's sense of humor and direct-style really spoke to me. The info is useful and presented in a way that will help you remember it. If you're an expecting father and want the basics with some nifty bonus tips, go pick this up. You'll have a blast while preparing for fatherhood.

I bought this for my husband to announce that we were expecting. He skimmed though it once and while he found it funny, he put it on the shelf to collect dust the next nine months. Once our son arrived I blew off the dust and left it in plain sight for him to remind him he had it.
Our son is now 7 weeks old and he has read it at least 20 times cover to cover and will go back to reference it when we are facing a new baby challenge. At least daily I hear "Well, according to my daddy book...". This book has been a sanity saver for him as it puts the intricacies of having a baby into "man terms". We now buy this book for every new expecting dad we know.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and refer to it often. I'm a first time Dad and both Mom and I find this manual helpful, especially the short and concise sections.

We have a detailed Penelope Leach book that we refer to for 'heavy' reading covering more in depth issues and the psychology of child rearing, but Be Prepared has been a far more valuable day-to-day reference.

What you'll get:

*A well organized, insightful, easy to use manual on basic baby care

*Covers the newborn up to 12 months including feeding, changing, pets, toys, travel, camping and parental relationships (sexy time)

*Useful facts and techniques that you can instantly apply to help understand and soothe your baby

*Humour and cool art- the authors actually went to the trouble to make this book both informative and a fun journey to read and remember

An especially good book for Dad. Its the kind of gift I would have loved to receive as an expecting Father.

Todd Millar, [...]

This was a great book and resource for my husband. It was the only parenting book he would read.

This is a great book. Easy to read, informative and worth purchasing. (If you are a "to-be" or a current dad, you will understand what I mean by "coneheads")

I bought this book for my husband since he has never been around babies before. I wanted him to gain some knowledge of the whole process since we are expecting our first little on in the spring. This book is both packed with well needed information and a little bit of entertainment. It is not as dry as most books and offers a bit of humor in an otherwise stressful time. I even read of few chapters and it made me chuckle. I would definitely recommend this for new daddies to be.

This book is full of great useful information for both my husband and me. I seriously learned a lot for a first time expectant mom - while laughing.

After reading the reviews about this book, I ordered this book from Amazon.com. I received it and riped into the box to get it out. Actually, my wife stole it from me, but I got it back. I am about to be a new dad and I loved this book. It was funny, gave real life tips and made me want to read it from cover to cover. The book shows a dad with a tool belt filled with everything he will need for his baby, but I think this book was left out of the belt. It is awesome!!!!

Before our son was born, I bought this for my husband, an Eagle Scout, as a kind of joke. Once we both started reading, though, we were impressed with not just the practical advice, but also how all that useful information is conveyed with such wit and how it really does look and sound just like an old Boy Scout manual!

This handbook was surprisingly comprehensive given its size and how many pictures are in it. I was glad to find that it answered several questions on my mind as an expectant mom (even though I bought it for my husband) and it took a short time to read each section. I find the author really took time to lay out the important facts/options piece-meal so you can absorb the information. I have other books that cover the same subjects in long written form (which is also good) but when crunched on time, this one was succinct and touched on the key points you need. The humor is great but I think the visualizations and breakdowns are really the highlights.

I got my husband several books when we found out we were pregnant. This book is funny and useful. The artwork is cute. It is definitely written for men. My husband loved the humor and advice. A great baby shower gift! This book and Quarterback Dad were the best two of the books I got him.

My wife is a few months pregnant for our first child. I have been trying to be very involved and informed in all aspects of our pregnancy and into the child raising years. Although I am a teacher, I am very nervous about raising a child that I am 100% accountable for.

This book has provided not only the necessary information on most subjects, it has provided the much needed sense of humor. I was reading and laughing a lot, so my wiofe and family needed to have it read aloud so they didn't feel left out on my own little jokes. I highly recommend this to any father to be who needs info and laughs.

I purchased this book for my husband shortly after we learned we were having our first child. He was excited when it arrived and spent most of his lunch break reading. This book does not poke fun at the beer-drinking, football-playing daddy persona. Instead it is filled with pencil sketches that capture one's attention using real life satire. The sketches are comical, genuine, and endearing to the experience and associated responsibility.

We have received several other "for fathers" books since the pregnancy began, but this one is by far the best. It provides friendly suggestions that are applicable to real life - such as how a new dad can hold his baby while bathing him or her. I believe that my husband can use the suggestions in this book and I can relax knowing that he can manage all life's little challenges, even the slippery wet baby ones :-).

I bought this book for my husband since we're TTC our first. He wouldn't put it down once I gave it to him. He loved it and learned a lot from it also. He would follow me around the house giving me helpful tidbits! I read it and loved it as well. Very funny. Very informative. Great book for those who are planning to be parents!

We loved this book so much that it's now our standard gift for 1st time parents-to-be. It's written like a boyscout manual. My husband read it cover to cover (lots of cartoons)...and the lighthearted-sincere-useful sentiments made us both laugh.

I am actually a mother who found this book the best resource for how to... on everything baby! Further, I even used some of the facts in the book and the section on baby-proofing rooms as tools for games at the baby shower to get the men involved! The fathers and bachelors present ended up fighting over who was right with how many hazardous object they found in each room! The advice was right on and my 1 month old is benefitting from washer and dryer calming efforts and reggae rocking to sleep!

This book made me laugh out loud. I bought it for Valentine's Day for my fiance. He is reading it and coming home teaching me things.

Definitely funny. But not helpful at all. My husband got it as a gift. He read it initially just because it's his best friend that gave it to him, and had a few laughs but didn't help at all in the caring for the newborn. He relied more on the ones written by doctors and pediatricians.

This is a great book, with super illustrations reminiscent of old-school Boy Scout manuals. My husband, and Eagle Scout, read it from cover to cover before the baby even arrived! His favorite tip? That babies loved to be rocked to a reggae tempo! Not your average baby book!

This book is amazing. It covers everything. No fluff. No stretching out sentences. Fact, Joke, Tip.

Great Pictures. Some informative, some add humor.

I bought this thinking "What possibly could I learn from it, but what the hell" .. and I cant put this down. Every page has a new tip or trick I would have never thought of.

Get this for any expectant father.

My fiance was given this and I think I had as much fun reading it as he did. The advice is very practical and sound and presented humorously. Lots of wit and useful information. I highly recommend for Dad and Mom, too.

I thought this book had some very good information and I like how it was really geared toward men. It is written with guy humor which helps given the nature of the book. Men are really just big kids. I would definitely recommend this book.

We've actually bought this book a number of times - we get it for every new father-to-be. I think it was the only Baby Book that my husband actually read willingly and enjoyed... he laughed out loud reading it and as a bonus shared the funny parts with me. And ladies, it explains a lot of very important rules, like why you should never never never NEVER wake new mommy. This book is a must for any guy who is going to be hit hard by the reality of his new life (i.e. any first time father).

This book was recommended to us by another set of first-time parents, and we were not disappointed.

It's written with a great sense of humor, while providing lots of useful information. It's easy and fun to read, versus some of the other more 'dry' parenting books.

Plus, it's got some great ideas of games parents can play with their babies. And, even some money saving tips, such making your own bath toys - versus spending money on ones from the store.

We're expecting our first child, and this book was definitely worth reading.

I received four fatherhood books over the holidays and this was one of them. The illustrations are mildly humorous, but the content fell short. Not really a bad book, but definitely not great. If you want funny, there are better choices.

Comical, realistic, genius. My husband and I love this book - I wish "mommy" books were more like this one!

my husband & i LOVE this book. we give it to practically every new dad we know. we like how it is absolutely hysterical, while still really nailing what a new baby is like and sharing what you need to know. so much fun, great info.

This is the purchase I'm proudest of in my 'baby related books' category. My husband is really enjoying it and so am I. It's funny, practical and an easy read with solid tips and just the right level of detail when it comes to important information. The illustrations (it's full of them) are also very nicely done.

The best thing about this book is that unlike other books aimed at dads and dads to be, it really does offer a lot of valuable information and many many tips without sacrifising the laughs. It's written for intelligent adults with a good sense of humor.

(The book cover is laminated in a way which probably protects it in cse of spills...etc. Nice touch for a book meant for people with babies)

Wryly hilarious and filled with excellent tips, this is an essential guide to the strange world of becoming your father. I love the 50's-esque illustrations, and the information is well-presented. A great book for those rare private moments in the smallest room in the house.

This book is hysterical. Think Boy Scout handbook meets parenting advice. My husband would read this book and chuckle (see "Evolution of the Boppy"). It's the only parenting book that he has read from cover to cover. The book has great, practical suggestions, but presents it in a fun, unassuming way. We've purchased a copy for all of our friends that are expecting their first child.

My husband is about to become a father and has never even touched a baby, much less cared for one. He was freaking out about all of the responsibilities, and this book calmed him. It explains the simplest tasks, like holding a baby, changing a diaper, burping, etc, all in a no-nonsense way. It's simplistic enough, and amusing enough for men to understand and actually read. I read it myself and learned a thing or two. There are great suggestions for babies that won't stop crying, what to do when you run out of diapers, how to help out your torn-up, exhausted wife who just gave birth.... it's everything a man needs to know.

this book made me laugh about a subject I was very nervous about as I was about to become a first time father. Not sure if I used any of the advice, but it has some good and entertaining stuff.

I know you are not supposed to "judge a book by its cover", but spending a good part of my childhood in the Boy Scouts is probably what encouraged me to pick up this book. It looks like a Boy Scout manual and the illustrations inside are reminiscent of old school Scout manuals from my childhood. The information, however, is much more useful than anything that I ever learned from one of those old books. Also, this book is much more humorous. This book is a very comforting and funny way to learn some of the things that aren't necessarily mentioned in some of the other pregnancy books.

I would definitely recomend this book to any soon-to-be father (or mother for that matter). I've already talked several of my friends into buying it, and they all agree that this one is a keeper!

I bought this book on a whim for my husband (we are currently expecting our first child). I was VERY pleasantly surprised by it. Be Prepared is laugh-out-loud funny, but it is also incredibly informative. I love how much info it gives to new dads about how to interact with their babies, even newborns, and how to help mom with taking care of baby. For many new parents, babies up to a few months old seem like "blobs" that "don't do anything." That's why I love sections like "baby party tricks" that give dad a way to interact with his newborn child, and also helps form a bond between them.

This book is EXCELLENT, I can't say enough great stuff about it. It just has the perfect mix of useful info, humor, and isn't at all intimidating for new dads.

After reading reviews and descriptions of countless numbers of New Dad books, I settled on getting this book for my husband as part of his first Father's Day gift. We absolutely love it! The pictures are very amusing, and the advice is put quite simply and laced with enough humor to keep you turning the pages. After he opened his presents last weekend, my husband could hardly put the book down and was laughing at something on every page. Excellent choice!!

An enjoyable, humorous read with excellent advice on how to cope with being a new parent. Solid developmental advice and accurate information. Some great problem-solving ideas as well.

This book isn't meant to be the be-all, end-all of new parent books, but if you're a new dad and are a bit overwhelmed by a) fatherhood and b) all the BOOKS about parenting, this is a great book to get. It's got great retro artwork, a loose style, a sense of humor (something you don't see much in parenting books), and (mostly) very sound advice and information, from what your brand new baby will REALLY look like to how to keep your almost-one-year-old entertained on an airplane....

My kid just turned a year old and I implemented many of the bits of advice I found in this book. It was well supplemented by "The New Father" and by "What's Going on in There?", making a trio of books that runs the gamut from theory to practice, from micro to macro. This book ended up as a well-thumbed bathroom reader after I finished it.

By the way, the website for this book has some activities: listen to the sound of a baby crying for several minutes (to help you acclimate if, perhaps, you're still "expecting"), dad exercises and more.

My husband and I love this book. It is really funny and the tips are useful (ex: putting the baby bath in the kitchen sink, emergency diapers, what you really need in a baby pack).

Worth every penny!

My husband and I love this book. It is really funny and the tips are useful (ex: putting the baby bath in the kitchen sink, emergency diapers, what you really need in a baby pack).

Worth every penny!

My husband loves this book. It is so funny and yet so informative. It is easy to read and presents information in a way that really holds your attention.

This was a present for my son-in-law. I read it cover to cover and wished I could have 30 years ago. I hope my daughter reads it too. It's full of great ideas from a guy who appreciates technique and has worked out many good ones - how to get nasty medicine into a baby's stomach, how to dispose of disposable diapers from the third floor, how to keep shampoo out of the eyes. His macho angle (the football hold) is cute rather than offensive. What a great service to Dads who've been kept out of the loop far too much!

Received book within two days.. I bought this for friend, but before giving to him, I read from front cover to back. I wish I had this book some thirty-five years ago before I had my own children. Since you don't get instructions with your children when they are born, this book gives you insight and helpful instructions in every phase of your life ahead.. My friend also is reading every page, cause his days of fatherhood are quickly approaching.. I would recomend this book to every new father to be.. It is funny and serious at the same time... Excellent book

This was a present for my son-in-law. I read it cover to cover and wished I could have 30 years ago. I hope my daughter reads it too. It's full of great ideas from a guy who appreciates technique and has worked out many good ones - how to get nasty medicine into a baby's stomach, how to dispose of disposable diapers from the third floor, how to keep shampoo out of the eyes. His macho angle (the football hold) is cute rather than offensive. What a great service to Dads who've been kept out of the loop far too much!

This book is exceptionally written & laid out with a cool, retro style, making it an instant "must read" for any new Dad/Dad-to-be. The information is up-to-date & practical. Mommies will like this book, too. Plus they've got a website with even more info & useful downloads. I have read nearly every "how to raise a baby" book and this one I found the most useful & fun to read. The "Everything You Need To Know" series could learn a thing or two from this book about how to incorporate personality into their overwhelming barrage of information.

We have really enjoyed this book. It speaks my husband's language and has been really enjoyable to read. I would recommend all fathers read this book to learn about what they are facing.

I was never a boy scout, but as a new mom, I thoroughly enjoyed this book's refreshing sense of humor and practical, can-do approach to parenting a newborn when all the other books are long-winded, too serious, or aren't digestible in small pieces here and there when the baby is napping. I recommend this book *highly* to every couple expecting the first baby. You simply cannot go wrong giving this as a baby shower gift, but you might want to address it to the expecting dad, or mom will co-opt it all the time.

I really enjoyed and laughed while reading it, and learnt a lot from a practical point of view about how taking care of my baby. It's extremely easy to read, and contains a lot of tips of every kind not only related to babies, but for dads too.

I give a copy of this to every friend of mine who about to become a Dad. It is easy reading, has great information about what to expect, and if you read it your wife will be amazed at your knowledge of baby care.

We just had our first baby last week. I picked this book up a couple of days ago and have been reading in short burst (as the book was designed for) with a book in one hand and a sleeping baby in the other.

The content is fun; engaging to read for both parents. It also does a great job of zoning in on the "important" stuff that new dads want to know, rather than hundreds of pages that are great info, but simply would never get read by most new parents during their haze of sleep deprevation.

5 well deserved stars.

Read this book 3 times before the baby was born, because it was so funny. Several of the nurses in the hospital saw it and wrote down the name of the book so that they could recommend it to other new fathers. I've bought another copy for my bro in law so that he can enjoy it and learn as much as I have. I haven't found any other source of information more valuable and humorous for a new father then this book.