Podcast
How I Built This with Guy Raz
It was inspired by his own experience with his first child and the desire for her to say 'dada' first. It became a popular children's book and surprisingly, helped some children learn how to read.
I wrote a book called Your Baby's First Word Will Be Dada, because I thought it was funny because I had my first baby and, uh, I was hoping that she would say dad at first.
— Episode: The Tonight Show & Electric Hot Dog: Jim...
Episode: The Tonight Show & Electric Hot Dog: Jimmy Fallon
It was inspired by his own experience with his first child and the desire for her to say 'dada' first. It became a popular children's book and surprisingly, helped some children learn how to read.
I wrote a book called Your Baby's First Word Will Be Dada, because I thought it was funny because I had my first baby and, uh, I was hoping that she would say dad at first.
No one, we didn't have a competition. We didn't talk about it. Me and my wife, there was no competition, but there was one sided competition. I wanted the baby to say dad.
So I was like, whatever I could do to get this kid to say dad, dad, I don't care.
So I made this book just where it's just, you know, animal sounds quack, you know, and then the adult duck is saying, just say dad, that, you know, the baby won't say quack and the cows wants you to say dad and the calf says, uh, moo, you know, and no one says dad, dad.
And it took off and it became a giant thing. And then I started getting videos from people of their kids, them reading the book to their kids, but their kids reading it back to them. And they're saying like, Jimmy, you, you've kind of taught my kid how to read. I'm like, no, that is not. I mean, that was never the plan at all.