Books on pregnancy, babies, and being a good dad
The hard part is knowing which books for expecting dads are worth reading: the ones that won’t put you to sleep and give you actionable info.
This guide covers the books that help with everything from pregnancy to being a good dad.
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Our picks at a glance, as of September 2026:
| Best for | Book |
|---|---|
| Best overall book for expecting dads | Caring for Your Baby and Young Child (AAP) |
| Best pregnancy book for dads | The Baby Bump (Carley Roney) |
| Best book for dads-to-be and first-time dads | The Expectant Father (Armin A. Brott) |
| Best book for new dads with a crying newborn | The Happiest Baby on the Block (Harvey Karp) |
| Best funny book for new dads | Be Prepared (Gary Greenberg) |
| Best baby sleep book | Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child (Marc Weissbluth) |
| Best board book to read to your baby | The Going-to-Bed Book (Sandra Boynton) |
| Best audiobook for expectant fathers | The Expectant Father, read by the author |
Best overall books for expecting dads
Two books stood out as overviews that cover a ton of topics for expecting dads. These two are the best baby books for dads.
The winner: Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, by the American Academy of Pediatrics
We call this book the bible of parenting. It’s a beast. When my wife and I worked through it with our first daughter, we had the 7th edition—about 960 pages of advice, tips, and reassurance. The edition for sale now is the 8th (still a doorstop, ~816 pages). If you only have the patience for a single dad/baby book, make it this one.
Rather listen? The 34-hour audiobook can be your first pick with an Audible Standard trial.
What it’s about:
Nearly everything. Now in its 8th edition, Caring for Your Baby and Young Child has 38 chapters broken down into birth, the newborn days, and age ranges up to age 5, plus a health encyclopedia. You’ll also find dedicated sections on sleep, feeding your baby, common ailments, and more.
It isn’t dad-specific, which makes it one both parents can use.
What makes it great:
The length is daunting, but it’s built to skim. Every chapter is short, as little as a single page or two, broken down into topics that are easily recognizable.
Treat it like an encyclopedia: look up specific questions about feeding, illnesses, and more instead of reading cover to cover.
It’s a more trustworthy version of Google. When you have those panicked 2am wakeups and don’t know what to do, a quick reference gets you advice, or at least assurance that what your little one is doing is normal.
My wife and I read this one together, taking it one chapter at a time, each time our first daughter approached a new age range covered by the book.
Where dads should start: the 8th edition’s 38 chapters begin at delivery, not pregnancy. Before the due date, read Chapter 1, “Delivery and the First Moments” (pp. 3–10), Chapter 3, “Feeding Your Baby” (pp. 36–77), and the “Baby Equipment” section of Chapter 18, “Keeping Your Child Safe” (p. 391). Once the baby is home, work through Chapter 2, “Your Newborn’s First Days” (pp. 11–35), Chapter 4, “Basic Infant Care” (pp. 78–101), and Chapter 5, “Your Baby’s First Month” (pp. 102–129), then one age chapter at a time, starting with Chapter 6, “Your Baby at 2 Months” (p. 130).
Science-backed, comprehensive... the ultimate reference guide for new parents.
The runner-up: The Happiest Baby on the Block, by Harvey Karp
Dr. Harvey Karp is the creator of the Snoo, a smart bassinet that does a surprisingly good job of keeping your baby calm and sleeping (our review here). Karp is also behind the 5S’s to Soothe a Crying Baby, which we’ve found to be extremely effective. This book goes in the same direction.
What it’s about:
The subtitle (The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer) sums it up. It’s a more in-depth, researched version of the 5 S’s.
In just over 350 pages, Dr. Karp dives into the reasons why your baby cries and why sometimes, it’s just inevitable. He also teaches techniques to cut the avoidable crying and get a little more sleep.
What makes it great:
A new parent’s life is mostly getting the baby to sleep or stop crying. This book helps with both.
Reassurance is an especially important part of the book. Dr. Karp goes to great lengths to avoid scaring new parents or making them think they’re doing something wrong. Instead, he explains in detail why babies behave the way they do, positioning his tips and techniques as natural extensions rather than revolutionary new ideas.
Critics say it just extends the 5 S’s, which you can find online, but the book goes much deeper on doing them safely. It’s not as comprehensive as the winner of this category, but it belongs on any list of books on how to be a good dad. From personal experience: using the 5 S’s (we had the OG DVD version) made me feel like a superhero with both of my daughters.
That DVD taught me something books can’t: some dad skills click faster when you watch someone do them. It’s the whole idea behind Father’s Ed, our video course for expecting dads.
This book works like magic for calming babies that seem inconsolable
If you only read one or two of the best books for new dads and first-time dads, make it these. They’re not dad-specific, but most parenting isn’t.
Best books about pregnancy for dads
Our pick for the best pregnancy book for dads is The Baby Bump by Carley Roney (176 pages), which tracks the baby week by week. For pregnancy books for men written from the dad’s side, add The Expectant Father (5th edition, 336 pages), organized month by month.
Pregnancy is all about your significant other, but you should understand what’s happening. For a cheat sheet, see our week-by-week guide to pregnancy for dads.
The winner: The Baby Bump by Carley Roney
This was the book my wife and I read together when she became pregnant with our first daughter, Kenzie. We loved it.
What it’s about:
It’s all about pregnancy, from week-by-week development to what to wear. Along the way, you’ll find a checklist for the birth plan, a baby kick tracker, and more helpful nuggets.
It’s written for moms, but partners, grandparents, and friends will find useful prep, too.
What makes it great:
The tone: it’s deliberately less authoritative and more fun. This is the book that (jokingly) advises the mom to “run for the hills” when the first pregnancy test comes back positive.
The information holds up, too: every page has practical advice and useful context for dads, plus plenty of worksheets.
Books that teach you how to be a good dad
The best books for new dads and first-time dads here are The Expectant Father (month by month, from the dad’s side), Be Prepared (20th Anniversary Edition), Home Game by Michael Lewis, and, if you’re staying home, The Ultimate Stay-at-Home Dad.
Books on how to be a dad are harder to find than books for moms. That’s a big part of why we started Fathercraft.
The winner: The Expectant Father by Armin A. Brott
It’s on every list of what to expect books for dads, and it’s in its 5th edition for a reason: it’s a damn good book.
What it’s about:
The Expectant Father: The Ultimate Guide for Dads-to-Be, by Armin A. Brott and Jennifer Ash Rudick, is now in its 5th edition (Abbeville Press, May 2021).
It’s essentially a guide, organized by months, on what is happening during pregnancy and the first few months after the baby is born. The catch: it’s all from a dad’s perspective. The book covers everything from what’s going on with your partner to advice on how you can get involved and help throughout the process.
The 336 pages range from starting a college fund to what you can expect during delivery—and how you can help.
What makes it great:
My favorite part is the father’s perspective: it covers what most books don’t, a dad’s questions during pregnancy.
Throughout the pages, the author inserts some levity with cartoons that sum up situations you’ll encounter.
This is how your get ready to be a dad. No nonsense preparation.
The runner-up: Be Prepared by Gary Greenberg
Fair warning: the original is from 2004, and the cover looks like it was published in the 1950s. The version linked below is the 20th Anniversary Edition (same MacGyver energy, updated for the phone-in-every-pocket era). New dads love it because it’s funny, practical, and actually finishable when you’re tired.
Greenberg and co-author Jeannie Hayden focus on the stress, challenges, new situations, and—yes—fun that fathers-to-be will experience.
What it’s about:
It’s baby tips for dads, with unique advice like how to stay awake at work and how to build an emergency diaper.
It skips the stats and research. One tip speaks for itself: “how to create a decoy drawer full of old wallets, remote controls, and cell phones to throw baby off the scent of your real gear.”
What makes it great:
The off-beat humor makes a hard job a little less hard, and under the jokes is plenty of real-world advice.
It’s not as comprehensive as other guides like the winner in this category, and it doesn’t have to be. It keeps you reading, and you soak up more than you’d expect.
The bronze medalist: Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood by Michael Lewis
Yep, that’s the Michael Lewis, author of bestselling books like Liar’s Poker, Moneyball, and The Big Short. Turns out he also writes parenting advice and is pretty damn good at it.
What it’s about:
Home Game is not one of those all-knowing guides. Instead, it’s a first-person account on how Lewis went through what every expectant dad experiences: unexpected feelings, stress, panic, and a certain sense of guilt that he didn’t know what he was doing.
More specifically, the book is a detailed account of what Lewis went through when each of his three children was born.
What makes it great:
The brutal honesty, glorious banality, and subtle humor of Lewis’s account. Don’t use this book if you’re looking for comprehensive advice. But if you just need to know that every other new dad is going through the same thing you are, it’s absolutely perfect.
Yes, THAT Michael Lewis. On fatherhood. As you would expect.
For dads who are going to stay home: The Ultimate Stay-at-Home Dad by Shannon Carpenter
Parenting without going insane requires levity, so it helps that Shannon Carpenter is a stay-at-home dad who also trained at Second City (yeah, the world-famous comedy club), and wrote a book about how to be a stay-at-home dad.
What it’s about
How to be an awesome stay-at-home dad. But this book goes deep—into how to cook and clean, but also thorny and important issues like mental health. Expect advice from Shannon’s 15 years as a dad, plus anecdotes from dozens of other stay-at-home dads.
What makes it great
Humor plays a big role. Publishers Weekly called it a “savvy mix of lighthearted quips and straightforward guidance.” Published in October 2021, it’s written for the modern dad.
Preparing for parenthood books
These books help with the bigger worry: preparing your kid for life.
The winner: Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
Sure, it’s not a book for or about babies. But it’s about one of the most important skills you can teach your kid from when they’re born all the way through adulthood.
What it’s about:
It’s a book about the inherent potential of tenacity, the ability to persevere through adversity and achieve heights you didn’t think possible.
It’s advice from someone who has consulted with the White House, NBA, NFL, and more. Duckworth takes practice makes perfect and makes it real.
What makes it great:
The biggest takeaway from this book is that everyone can be great with the right determination and approach.
That’s relevant for both expectant dads, and the kids they’re looking to raise. You’ll finish ready to conquer the world and knowing how to teach your little one the same approach.
It's your job to protect, but it's also your job to prepare. This book helps you do the latter.
The runner-up: Cribsheet by Emily Oster
Consider it the economist’s guide to parenting. It’s part of a new wave of books that use data to help you improve and optimize your parenting skills.
What it’s about:
Data, and the conclusions it leads to. Oster takes conventional wisdom that tends to be pretty stressful (never co-sleep with your baby), then uses data to show that actually, context matters more than absolute truths.
Oster goes through the typical advice and shows the ways in which it is (or isn’t) supported by sufficient evidence or studies. The upshot: you don’t have to follow an exact blueprint for raising your baby.
What makes it great:
The writing is outstanding. Data books are easy to make boring; this one is a surprisingly fun read.
Then there’s the advice: reassurance backed by data. You’ll come out feeling better about your impending fatherhood.
If you’re into this one, Oster has a prequel of sorts called Expecting Better (Amazon).
The bronze medallist: Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth M.D.
This is the book my wife used to help both of our kids through learning to sleep. Sleep books can be judge-y; this one isn’t, and that alone earns it a spot.
What it’s about:
Sleep habits, with options depending on your comfort level.
Are you a family with two working parents, or does one of you stay home? Each might require a different strategy, and this one covers both.
What makes it great:
Weissbluth is not afraid to tell it like it is. His advice is backed by science, but he doesn’t shy away from answering general questions like whether keeping your baby up later helps them sleep in. Don’t know the details of sleep regression and what to do? Check out this book.
Best baby books for dads (what to read to your baby)
Everyone has an opinion on books for dads to read to baby girls and boys. These are the ones we love.
The winner: The Going-to-Bed Book by Sandra Boynton
Boynton is our favorite board book author, bar none. This book shows why.
What it’s about:
A group of animals is preparing to go to bed. It’s a fun book about all those activities (from putting on pajamas to brushing teeth) that your little ones do before their snooze.
What makes it great:
Boynton’s books are unique. They have the magical ability to entertain both your little one and you. Every page turn is unexpected or just plain silly.
The runner-up: Opposites by Sandra Boynton
Another classic Sandra Boynton book, it’s truly ‘fun for all ages’. Babies just love the colorful pictures, toddlers enjoy the humor, and grown-ups are surprisingly quick to laugh along with it.
What it’s about:
From big to small and dark to light, this book teaches your kid about opposites in a way that’s so fun, they won’t even notice. It’s a 16-page board book.
What makes it great:
Beyond the silliness, in talking through opposites and why they aren’t always bad, Boynton manages to convey a message of inclusivity and positivity.
The bronze medallist: Anything you’re currently reading.
Here’s a secret: for newborns and small babies, what you read to them doesn’t actually matter much. Instead, they just want to hear the sound of your voice. So why not pick up a book you’re reading anyway, and read it to them?
It’s a perfect way to get through one of the books mentioned above.
What to read when: a trimester-by-trimester reading plan for dads
These are the books to read before becoming a dad, sorted by trimester, plus the first weeks home. Every book is already reviewed above.
First trimester (weeks 1–13)
The best pregnancy books for dads to start in the first trimester are The Expectant Father and The Baby Bump. The Expectant Father (5th edition, 336 pages) is organized month by month from a dad’s perspective, so read one chapter per month of pregnancy. The Baby Bump (176 pages in print) tracks the baby’s development week by week and includes a birth-plan checklist and kick tracker you’ll use later.
Second trimester (weeks 14–27)
Add Cribsheet by Emily Oster, which uses data to walk through the decisions that start at birth. Home Game by Michael Lewis is 192 pages on the births of his three children, short enough to finish before week 28. If one of you plans to stay home, read The Ultimate Stay-at-Home Dad now. Grit is the long-view pick and fits any trimester.
Third trimester (weeks 28–40)
Read The Happiest Baby on the Block (352 pages) and learn the 5 S’s before the baby arrives. Be Prepared (20th Anniversary Edition) covers practical first-year skills. Start Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child so you have a sleep plan before week 40. In Caring for Your Baby and Young Child (8th edition), read Chapter 1, “Delivery and the First Moments” (pp. 3–10), Chapter 3, “Feeding Your Baby” (pp. 36–77), and the “Baby Equipment” section of Chapter 18, “Keeping Your Child Safe” (p. 391).
First weeks home
Keep Caring for Your Baby and Young Child open to Chapter 2, “Your Newborn’s First Days” (pp. 11–35), Chapter 4, “Basic Infant Care” (pp. 78–101), and Chapter 5, “Your Baby’s First Month” (pp. 102–129). Bookmark Chapter 30, “Fever” (p. 635), for the 2 a.m. questions. Read aloud from The Going-to-Bed Book and Opposites, both 16-page Sandra Boynton board books, or from whatever you’re reading. Newborns mostly want your voice.
Swipe sideways for the full plan →
| Trimester | Book | Why now |
|---|---|---|
| First (weeks 1–13) | The Expectant Father | Month by month, dad’s-eye view; one chapter per month |
| First (weeks 1–13) | The Baby Bump | Week-by-week development; birth-plan checklist and kick tracker |
| Second (weeks 14–27) | Cribsheet | Data on the decisions that start at birth |
| Second (weeks 14–27) | Home Game | 192 pages of real-dad reassurance |
| Second (weeks 14–27) | The Ultimate Stay-at-Home Dad | If one parent plans to stay home |
| Any trimester | Grit | Long-view parenting; not time-sensitive |
| Third (weeks 28–40) | The Happiest Baby on the Block | Learn the 5 S’s before the baby arrives |
| Third (weeks 28–40) | Be Prepared | Practical first-year skills |
| Third (weeks 28–40) | Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child | Have a sleep plan before week 40 |
| Third (weeks 28–40) | Caring for Your Baby and Young Child | Ch. 1 (pp. 3–10), Ch. 3 (pp. 36–77), Baby Equipment (p. 391) |
| First weeks home | Caring for Your Baby and Young Child | Ch. 2 (pp. 11–35), Ch. 4 (pp. 78–101), Ch. 5 (pp. 102–129); Fever (p. 635) |
| First weeks home | The Going-to-Bed Book / Opposites | 16-page board books to read aloud |
| Any trimester | Father’s Ed (not a book, it’s ours) | Try it for $1. Short videos for the nights you’re too tired to read. |
The best audiobooks for expectant fathers and new dads
As an Amazon Associate, Fathercraft earns from qualifying purchases. The audiobook links in this section are affiliate links.
Short on reading time? These are the best audiobooks for expectant fathers from this list, all on Audible as of September 2026.
Four are read by their authors: Armin A. Brott reads The Expectant Father (5th edition, 10 hrs 2 mins), Emily Oster reads Cribsheet (10 hrs 25 mins), Angela Duckworth reads Grit (9 hrs 22 mins), and Marc Weissbluth co-narrates Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child (5th edition, 27 hrs 31 mins) with Nancy Wu.
For the best audiobooks for new dads, start with The Happiest Baby on the Block (7 hrs 41 mins, narrated by Tim Fannon) and Be Prepared (20th Anniversary Edition, 5 hrs, narrated by Jonathan Todd Ross). Caring for Your Baby and Young Child (8th edition) runs 34 hrs 21 mins, so treat it as a reference, not a listen-through.
New to Audible? Try Audible Standard.
Swipe sideways for all 8 →
| Audiobook | Edition | Narrator(s) | Length (Audible, Sept 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caring for Your Baby and Young Child (AAP) | 8th edition | Sarah Zimmerman | 34 hrs 21 mins |
| The Happiest Baby on the Block (Harvey Karp) | 2nd edition | Tim Fannon | 7 hrs 41 mins |
| The Expectant Father (Armin A. Brott) | 5th edition | Armin A. Brott | 10 hrs 2 mins |
| Be Prepared (Gary Greenberg) | 20th Anniversary Edition | Jonathan Todd Ross | 5 hrs |
| The Ultimate Stay-at-Home Dad (Shannon Carpenter) | — | Jon Orsini | 7 hrs 19 mins |
| Grit (Angela Duckworth) | — | Angela Duckworth | 9 hrs 22 mins |
| Cribsheet (Emily Oster) | — | Emily Oster | 10 hrs 25 mins |
| Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child (Marc Weissbluth) | 5th edition | Marc Weissbluth M.D., Nancy Wu | 27 hrs 31 mins |
It’s not a book, but we’re including it anyways (hey, it’s our website)
The Winner: Father’s Ed: An online course for expecting dads
Full disclosure: this one is ours, and it’s an online parenting course, not a book.
Across nine modules and 32 short videos, you’ll cover everything from prepping for the baby’s arrival to diaper changes, sleep, safety, and essential gear. A 93-page workbook (shipped to your door) keeps the checklists and cheat sheets in one place. And you get all of that from the perspective of dads who’ve gone through the same thing you have.
Not a book, but still awesome parenting prep—learn from 32 short, entertaining videos and a 93-page companion guide full of checklists and charts.
Books for expecting dads FAQs
What is the best book for expecting dads?
Caring for Your Baby and Young Child (8th edition, 2024) from the American Academy of Pediatrics is our best overall book for expecting dads: 816 pages and 38 chapters covering birth to age 5. For a dad-specific guide, read The Expectant Father by Armin A. Brott (5th edition, 336 pages), organized month by month.
What are the best pregnancy books for dads?
The Baby Bump by Carley Roney (176 pages) is our top pregnancy book for dads; it tracks the baby week by week. The Expectant Father (5th edition, 336 pages) is the best pregnancy book for men who want the dad’s side, month by month.
What are the best books for new dads and first-time dads?
Start with The Expectant Father (its final section covers the first few months after birth), Be Prepared: A Practical Handbook for New Dads (20th Anniversary Edition), and The Happiest Baby on the Block (352 pages on calming a crying newborn).
Which chapters of Caring for Your Baby and Young Child should dads read first?
In the 8th edition, read Chapter 1, “Delivery and the First Moments” (p. 3), before the birth. Once the baby is home, read Chapter 2, “Your Newborn’s First Days” (p. 11), Chapter 4, “Basic Infant Care” (p. 78), and Chapter 5, “Your Baby’s First Month” (p. 102).
What are the best audiobooks for expectant fathers?
As of September 2026, The Expectant Father audiobook is read by author Armin A. Brott and runs 10 hrs 2 mins. Be Prepared (20th Anniversary Edition) runs 5 hrs, and The Happiest Baby on the Block runs 7 hrs 41 mins.
What’s a good pregnancy book for my husband?
The Expectant Father (5th edition, 336 pages) is written for the dad-to-be and organized month by month, so a husband can read along with the pregnancy one chapter at a time.
Is there a “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” book for dads?
The closest match on our list is The Expectant Father by Armin A. Brott (5th edition, 2021): a month-by-month pregnancy guide written from the dad’s perspective; its final section covers the first few months after birth.
What are the funniest books for new dads?
Be Prepared by Gary Greenberg (original 2004; 20th Anniversary Edition now) is the practical funny pick. Home Game by Michael Lewis (192 pages) is the funny first-person one, covering the births of his three children.
Closing the book on our best books for expecting dads
You don’t have to read all of these. Find a couple that speak to you and use them as a guide through the crazy, amazing journey of fatherhood.
If you’re looking for more ways to prepare as a new or first time dad, allow us to introduce ourselves—we’re Fathercraft, a company dedicated to creating resources for dads. Learn more about us here, or download some of our favorite resources, free, right over here.
Editor’s note: this post was originally published in January 2020, updated in January 2022, and most recently updated in September 2026 with a trimester-by-trimester reading plan, an audiobook guide, chapter picks from the 8th edition of Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, and an FAQ.
