Our Guest Dad today is book blogger Dave Rosenthal, who shares his favorite bedtime reads for children:

"Over on Read Street, we've been discussing children's books -- the good, the bad, the macabre. I think reading, at bedtime, at the breakfast table or otherwise, is one of the greatest gifts you can give a child. There's a tremendous sense of closeness and sharing in those moments, as you sit perched on the edge of a bed or huddle together in an armchair.

When our children were small, we wore out Goodnight Moon, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, numerous pop-up books and anything by Dr. Seuss. My daughter was drawn to classic tales such as Madeline; my son preferred illustrated compendiums and could identify the markings of various airlines before he could read (he was especially partial to American).

Because of the memories attached to these books, most have survived moves and house cleanings. In fact, I was shouted down a year or so ago, when I tried to sell a few at a yard sale ...