FOR F**K'S SAKE, ASK YOUR DAD

Langrock’s graphic novel in verse for adults satirically urges children to direct all questions, requests, and trivia to their fathers.

Being a mother is a demanding 24-hour job, and sometimes moms just need a break. In this short, illustrated work, Langrock uses rhymes to catalog the various things that mothers put up with, from baby kicks to incessant invasions of privacy. Frustrations mount, which this book manifests in a series of F-bombs. It’s most assuredly not for children, though readers can also check out the “kid-friendly version,” For Gosh Sakes, Ask Your Dad, via QR code; in the adult-friendly work, Langrock includes sentences such as “No, I can’t get you another juicebox right now or meet your every whim from dawn till dark. Sometimes I need to sleep or poop or shower or save your sister from a motherfucking shark!” The text, in varied typefaces, couples perfectly with Clisson’s sensational full-color cartoon artwork, in which small pictures resembling children’s sketches replace words in dialogue balloons and tell their own stories. This book is plainly satire, and none of the children, either in verse or illustrations, are anything other than cutely rambunctious; they overflow with energy and naïveté, as when one child wonders if cheetahs can be plaid. Moreover, the book isn’t very critical of fathers, even if they don’t always seem helpful; instead, the work depicts loving families throughout, with devoted dads who enjoy family time. Clisson furthers this tone with perpetual smiles on the kids’ faces and comically exasperated (but never angry) expressions on the mothers’. Moms, dads, and kids are depicted with various skin tones, ages, and body shapes.

A heartfelt, funny, and unforgettable book of parenting humor.