I have not given this much thought, but the idea behind this article is that dads are way under-represented in kids’ fiction, save for the famous Hop on Pop. Let me know what you think – we’ll even do a contest. Name kids’ books with dads who are at least present in the story and extra points if they are positive literary forces.    Where are all the nice, normal dads in children’s books? Fathers in children’s books are rarely positive figures. But as dads do more childcare, it’s time publishers took note [From Where are all the nice, normal dads in children's books? - Times Online ] Contest details to come…

My four year old son loves The Transformers and has been hopping around doing action poses since we got this DVD. He loves the action sequences and the clear line between good and evil. He also likes the frenetic pace and anxiety-producing sound effects. This is definitely entertainment for the on-the-edge-of-the-seat viewer. While all these things make it a hit for him, my wife and I would prefer he watches quieter fare, which also seems to entertain him. I also think this is one cartoon that is probably better for older kids, maybe eight years plus. The action sequences are pretty violent and action-packed, and you’ll have to decide for yourself whether the fact that the action is between...