Kids Are Weird: And Other Observations from Parenthood

Brown’s popular recent works, like Darth Vader and Son, feature epically horrific villains bumping up against the quotidian concerns of family life. The author’s latest feels like more of the same—but without the preconceptions inherent in the Lucas universe to draw from, it’s not as funny (everything is funnier when Darth Vader says it). Brown, reprising his role here as the resolutely unshaven dad/artiste, notes early on that there’s a short window between the time when kids don’t talk at all and when their first verbal malapropisms begin. The mostly single-page episodes each center on a particular turn of phrase from his young son: “Don’t forget to smash people,” “We can’t have a play date because my mom doesn’t like crying,” “I’m going to eat all the people in the world.” There’s several chuckles throughout, and even a few genuine laughs. But the resemblance to Kids Say the Darnedest Things overpowers most of the book’s other gentle charms. (Apr.)