Just a wonderful review of the new book by Chris Singer over at BookDads.com:
Ken Denmead keeps raising the bar with each installment in this series. I can’t wait to see where the next one takes us (please tell me there’s going to be more!!).
This kind of review just makes me happy. Thanks so much!
Once again, Denmead has compiled a wonderful list of activities for the family. My little geeks and I have had a great time reading and completing them together. The real joy of this book comes from working and learning as a family and sharing your observations and enthusiasm. I have barely scratched the surface of what this book has to offer and look forward to completing the more complex projects with my little geeks. Until I do, we are enjoying the easier experiments and learning, laughing, and enjoying every moment in wonder and excitement.
With just a little over a week until the new book hits the shelves, things are getting exciting. But a few early-copies have gone out to press, friends, and friends in the press (I’m not telling). Somehow, a copy ended up in the hands of a man who, while being a true-blue GeekDad in his own right, can also say with all honesty that he’s not a mad scientist, but he played one on TV. And this picture explains why we love David Hewlett.
Thanks so much to Nicole Wakelin for her wonderful review of my new book!
Here’s a great quote:
Whether you’re looking to inspire a love of science in your young child, or to encourage an older child to hold on to their curiosity about how things work, this book is sure to give you ideas galore and hours of fun and educational entertainment.
Denmead, Ken. The Geek Dad’s Guide to Weekend Fun: Cool Hacks, Cutting-Edge Games, and More Awesome Projects for the Whole Family. Gotham: Penguin Group (USA). May 2011. 227p. ISBN 9781592406449. pap. $18. CHILD REARING
Roll out the red carpet-Geek Dad is back! Denmead has assembled another stellar collection of weekend projects to exercise your STEM skills, tickle your funny bone, and get your kids doing both while thinking you’re the best dad in town. From building a backyard zip line to tricking out your Nerf gun, Denmead subscribes to the hacking community’s philosophy that “if you can’t understand how something works, you don’t truly own it.” Each project thus has a learning/building/playing trinity, a trait that might just be the holy grail of parenting. He includes conceptual overviews, cost estimates, difficulty ratings, duration ratings, reusability ratings, and a tools and materials lists. Not only are Denmead’s projects practical, but kids will love the mildly dangerous feel to them.
Lovely and well-considered review of the new book by Cyrus on Father Geek.
Check out this lovely write-up at BookPage, and go give my book a 5-star vote if you have a moment!
From M. Banks, aka @geekcowboy:
“Geek Dad’s Guide To Weekend Fun” (GTWF) is the second book from Ken Denmead who is of Wired’s Geek Dad fame. GTWF shares a ton of fun, geeky, and educational activities parents can do with their kids. As with the first book, “Geek Dad’s Awesomely Geeky Projects and Activities for Dads and Kids to Share”, the new book keeps the same spirit of offering activities that vary in both complexity and cost, that help kids get hands-on learning experiences. What I most enjoy about the GTWF format is that it gives you enough of the project details that you can get it to work but still is open enough that you and your kids are free to use your imagination to customize each project to satisfy your own particular geek tastes. The new book, in my opinion, has definitely upped the geek factor without sacrificing simplicity and clarity. My personal favorite in this new book layouts the framework for a high tech scavenger hunt that involves installing Apache servers, mobile computers like an iPad or iPod Touch, and HTML/Javascript! Now that is some good geeky fun! I will highlight this particular project because it reinforced for me the importance of projects like the Geek Dad books offer up. Though I did a lot of the legwork to get the initial Apache server up and running and the initial HTML, my daughter took over and customized the plain vanilla scavenger hunt to one that focused on her current fascination with My Little Pony. The learning experience was masked just enough to make it fun; so that learning a few basics of HTML and Javascript was not a burden but rather a chance to express her creativity. When learning is fun and accessible it’s never a chore, and the “Geek Dad’s Guide To Weekend Fun” definitely gives us geek parents enough great ideas to ensure learning is a great experience for both child and parent alike.”
Awesome, man, thanks!
One of the first pieces on the new book:
http://www.geekgirldiva.com/2011/04/new-for-geek-dads-geek-dads-guide-to.html
Laura over at (un)paint is giving away two copies of Geek Dad to her readers. Laura also enjoyed the book and had this to say about it:
It’s full of so many awesome projects for geek dads to do for and with their geek children. (And non-geeks too!) Most of the projects are pretty inexpensive and a lot of the supplies needed are things you may already have at home. It’s also nice that there are handy icons throughout the book letting you know the price range, difficulty, etc of each project.
Thanks, Laura! And here’s the details on the contest; for full info visit her blog:
Two winners will be selected to each receive one copy of Geek Dad by Ken Denmead. Giveaway ends Saturday, October 16, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. Make one comment for each entry. The winners will be selected at random and have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be selected, etc. Please make sure your email address is in your comment or blogger profile. Open to US and Canadian addresses only.