How to Dungeon Master Parenting

Starred review from November 1, 2024

Mazzanoble (cohost, Dragon Talk; coauthor, Welcome to Dragon Talk) is the senior brand manager for Dungeons & Dragons and the mother of a tween. Her book envisions parents as dungeon masters responsible for designing the framework that enables their children's life journeys to advance smoothly. Parenting doesn't fit neatly back into the box, she asserts, and there are no official rules, so she urges readers to keep their sense of humor and find a great group to experience life alongside. She urges readers to hold "party" sessions with others to discuss parenthood, expectations, and boundaries before giving birth. Surprises add to this game, so parents/players must expect the unexpected. The book presents 13 traits of a great parent (and Dungeon Master too, for that matter) alongside fun extras, such as sample game cards whose titles parents might relate to, like "Shrieking Encounters" and "Toddling Terrors." VERDICT Readers of all styles of parenting book and gaming fans will find solid advice and humor in abundance in this wonderfully unique resource.

Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from November 1, 2024
You and your band of adventurers are embarking on a perilous journey filled with unpredictable foes, and you must rely on your wits, weapons, and a fair bit of good fortune to see your way through. Sound like Dungeons & Dragons? This humorous and heartening parental guide applies the massively popular fantasy role-playing game to raising small humans. Mazzanoble, cohost of the official D&D podcast, Dragon Talk, brings her love of the game to a fun-filled exploration of the travails of parenting, starting with newborn Shrieking Enchanters up through Toddling Terrors, school-aged Bewitched Betwixts, and the dreaded adolescent Lurking Oozes. While geared toward D&D fans, this rollicking playbook will delight even the least experienced wizards learning to safely install a car seat. By gamifying parenting and sharing her own pitfalls, Mazzanoble offers a fresh take on everything from defining discipline styles to making friends as an adult and classifying a child's moral attitude (watch out for chaotic evil). Children seem to shape-shift before our eyes, and we must learn to equip them for their own adventures. Like the best kind of Dungeon Master, Mazzanoble will make any player in the hazardous game of parenthood feel more supported and less alone.

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