Terrible Times

AUUUGGGHH!

He's not in a suit. He's not in a tie. He's not dapper in the least.

It's Lemony Snicket and he's all.... tracksuitty.

I need to go lie down. I can't deal with this today.

It's Pronounced S'Poily

The Lemony Snicket books are coming out in paperback soon. This is a good thing. While I loved the original hardcover design, has any other librarian noticed that for all their eye-catching loveliness they last about as long as a well-used tissue? A Series of Unfortunate Events has few flaws inside their covers, but on the outside they all fray, tear, fade, and turn unbecomingly fuzzy after one or two reads.

So. Paperbacks. This is a good thing. They may actually last longer than their hardcover equivalents. But listen to what Fantagraphics Books discovered about all this:

Tales Designed to Thrizzle creator Michael Kupperman has landed a sweet gig, contributing a series of original strips titled "The Spoily Brats" to the new paperback editions of the best-selling A Series of Unfortunate Events books by Lemony Snicket. From the preview sample, it looks like just exactly the combination of Snicketry and Thrizzlishness that you would expect.

What's it gonna look like? Observe.


The second coming of the penny dreadful is nigh. Hide your children, then read the books for yourselves.

Thanks to Dan at Whither Laffs for the link.

Just Wait Till He Gets To Runaway Bunny

Speaking of Mr. Snicket, what's he been up to these days? Apparently he's been reading to his three-year-old child, and it's crystal clear that the man does not like what he sees.

He’s loath to name titles, but we do get talking about that old standby Goodnight Moon. “It’s actually a pretty creepy book - I mean, good night noises everywhere? It’s not really a harmless book. It’s quite beautiful, but very strange.

“But what my son appreciates most is the presence of a train.” I offer a development theory I’ve heard, that says boys progress from interest in trains to cars to planes. “I haven’t read much of the mumbo jumbo behind it,” Handler replies. “I just wish I was as sure as he is about what automatically makes a good book.”

A very big thank you to Big A little a for the link.

A Bitter Pill To Swallow

A new Lemony Snicket book? Despite my mother's distaste for the his work (read beyond the first book, mom!), I am a devoted fan of the man's talents. The thought that he may have a new book ah-coming just makes my tiny heart go pitter-pat. Thus it is, thus it evermore shall be:

Life is a turbulent journey, fraught with confusion, heartbreak, and inconvenience. Unfortunately, this book will not help.

Instead, this book of wit and wisdom offers a selection of alarming but inescapable truths from the work of Lemony Snicket, along with selections from his unpublished papers and remarks he has made at dinner parties and anarchist riots.

I got two words for you: Graduation Present. Forget giving you darling niece or nephew Oh, the Places You'll Go, Winnie-the-Pooh, or other "meaningful" works of kidlit. Give the little buggers this. It'll toughen their hides and lightly salt their tender souls.

Further info found thither.