We Love Our Dad

“The most hopeless dad in the world,” a friendly-looking, light brown–skinned figure, gets kudos from his three children in this breezy text. Ling offers myriad reasons for the children’s chagrin at their scattered father, who works from home and handles much of the childcare. “If Mum is coming home late, he cooks dinner for us,” reads one verso page, as their blonde, light-skinned mother talks to their father on a smartphone. “Oh no, not again,” reads the recto, as the children peer at a dish of beans, a sausage, a pickle, and a piece of broccoli swimming in red sauce. The narrative subsequently reveals praiseworthy aspects of the father’s care, including his emotional attentiveness. Sievert amplifies gentle humor with expressive dot-eyed figures against plenty of white space, enlivening spreads with fabric textures. This simple tale will resonate with any guardian juggling both work and childcare. Ages 3–7. [em](May) [/em]