Products For Dads and Summer Fun

Storytime With Dad
Sausalito author Gennifer Choldenko, a Newbery Honor winner, has written a sweet and moving tale about childhood fears and the special bond between father and son. Beautifully illustrated by Caldecott Award winner Dan Santat, Dad and the Dinosaur tells the story of young Nick, who loses the toy dinosaur that helps him feel brave, and what happens when he shares his secret with his dad. Choldenko will appear at the Bay Area Book Festival June 3-4 in Berkeley and June 9 for a Father’s Day Pajama Party at DIESEL in Larkspur. G.P. Puntnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2017. $17.99. penguin.com/youngreaders.
Rock Out
Dads, get ready to rock out with your kids to the debut album from The Binkees. South Bay dads and brothers Toño and Thomas Ramirez and friends mix originals – including a thrash metal song about broccoli – with truly original covers (think The Ramones covering “The More We Get Together” or Green Day belting out “She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain”). When they’re not jamming, Toño teaches college philosophy and Thomas is a firefighter. $6.99-10. thebinkees.hearnow.com. www.facebook.com/thebinkees.
Tinkering Time
Kids and dads (and moms, too!) will love making and remaking endless original creations with the Electric Motors Catalyst, containing more than 50 components including motors, wood, wheels and more. It’s the first product from San Francisco-based Tinkering Labs, founded by Burlingame dad Matt Brocchini and Gever Tulley, considered the father of the modern tinkering movement. The business is an offshoot of Tulley’s Tinkering School camp and Brightworks independent school. $55. www.tinkeringlabs.com.
The Best Gift: Sleep
Give Dad the gift of a good night’s sleep with a new pillow from Slumbr. The San Francisco start-up is out to reinvent the pillow-buying experience – which too often involves prodding store pillows through plastic packaging – and help you find the perfect pillow through its pillow quiz, comparison chart, personal recommendations, videos and more. The founders tested more than 250 pillows and narrowed the choices down to six options best for side, back or stomach sleepers. If you’re not satisfied, they’ll exchange your pillow within 30 days. $60-$225. www.slumbr.com.