Lightning Reviews, Weird Edition

The universe recently conspired to throw three books my way, which I read one after another. They’re all quite good (one of them excellent), with a running theme of extreme oddity:

1. Bake Sale by Sara Varon (Aug. 2011)

Cupcake, a bakery owner, spends months holding extra bake sales so he can afford to visit Turkey with his best friend Eggplant. For Cupcake, the main attraction is the opportunity to meet Turkish Delight, a famous pastry chef who just happens to be friends with Eggplant’s aunt. As odd as the plot sounds, it’s really the most normal (and boring) part of this book. The real attraction lies in

–the baked goods recipes sprinkled throughout (I haven’t felt this hungry after reading a book since Redwall)

–the joyful, colorful artwork. Varon’s book takes place in a world inhabited by creatures like Eggplant, Potato and Avocado, whose names perfectly describe the species/food item you’d expect them to be (with the addition of arms, legs and opposable thumbs)

…which means there’s quite a bit of casual cannibalism. Because Cupcake is really a cupcake (at one point he laments the drying out of his frosting at a Turkish bath), and he eats cupcakes too. We might as well be reading about anthropomorphic sheep dining on lamb chops.

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New Books on a Senseless Graph

There’s a slew of sequels and companion novels coming out in the next few months, and instead of just listing them, I present, in the spirit of Pseudoscience, a plot of anticipation level vs. expected surprise:

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The Universal Appeal of Doomed Bunnies

I recently bought Dawn of the Bunny Suicides as a gift for a friend. For anyone unfamiliar with the genius of Andy Riley, it’s exactly what it sounds like: a collection of cartoons showing plump, would-be adorable bunnies in the act of creative suicide. Death by potato masher, lawn mower and Quidditch broom are just some of the highlights (fellow geeks, rejoice—Star Wars and Doctor Who both get to shine). And before you call PETA on me, take a look at the book, because it’s bound to have even the greatest Watership Down fans chuckling.

What puzzles me is why these books get shelved in the adult section. The deadpan, often cynical humor seems perfect for YA. Same goes for the amazing xkcd collection…¥et they’re rarely found outside of bookstore gift displays or adult comic book sections. Wouldn’t it make sense to also stick a copy with the YA graphic novels? On a related note, I’ve found the opposite problem with books like Persepolis, which, despite being required reading for West Point cadets, usually get cataloged only as YA. (To go even more extreme, there’s always the well-hashed controversy over It’s a Book!) It seems that the liberal use of illustrations in books confounds the normal rules of marketing. What a shame, because pigeonholing them in one category is a surefire way to limit readership.

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Comics in Neverland

What’s wrong with this picture?

If you’re thinking it looks eerily like an adult Calvin from Calvin & Hobbes, you’d be right. Two bloggers have drawn their version of the grown-up troublemaker as a father. That’s Calvin with his WIFE—who happens to be Susie (yes, that Susie).

I can’t decide whether to be amused or disturbed. Sure, the comics are pretty funny (there’s two total, here and here), and Hobbes makes a welcome return. Calvin, in truly ridiculous form, has even named his kid Bacon (what’s that short for, Begonia)?

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