Mommy Daddy Evan Sage

Composed almost entirely of rhymed couplets, this intimate, mischievous, and poignantly funny collection of poems shares the conversations, invented games, and minor squabbles of four family members, especially precocious siblings Evan and younger sister Sage. With the exception of a few poems that dabble in fantasy (“Sage-y had a little lamb./ She named it Alligator./ That made Aunt Lucy laugh and laugh./ Then Alligator ate her”), the poems feel quite true to life. Garland’s chunky b&w woodcuts are a handsome complement, with an understated emotion that echoes that of the verse. Most of the poems are written from the first-person perspective of the father; that adult POV won’t likely impact kids’ enjoyment, though parents may best appreciate McHenry’s distillations of each interaction. The final poem, in which the father cradles Sage, perhaps best sums up the overall tone: “ ‘[W]hen you fuss or make a mess,/ it doesn’t make me love you less.’/ She said that made her feel much better,/ and wiped her nose on my new sweater.” All ages. (Dec.)