What to Expect at a Play Date (What to Expect Kids)

Your kids want to make friends, and they should--but they're not born knowing how to be friends. Sharing, taking turns, and playing nice, for example, may not come naturally to your 3-year-old. (In fact, you may know some adults who never really picked up those skills.) In What to Expect at a Play Date, Heidi Murkoff, coauthor of the bestselling pregnancy book What to Expect When You're Expecting, offers very young children a primer on cooperation. Angus, the narrator of all books in the What to Expect Kids series, including What to Expect When Mommy's Having a Baby, is a friendly, sympathetic dog who provides answers to questions about growing up. Depicted in playful, cartoonish illustrations by Laura Rader, he gently guides kids through the answers to such questions as "Why do I have to share my toys?" and "What if my friend does something I don't like?" While preschoolers will ideally learn these lessons in actual life, Murkoff's books serve as a helpful springboard for discussion that just may lead to more enjoyable, less cranky play dates. (Ages 2 to 5)