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Books and Trade Paperbacks

Of Bears and Pots and Deep Deep Thoughts

Psycologist, hypnotist, and philosopher, A.B. Curtiss is also and accomplished author with several award-winning books to her name.  And several of her fiction books just happen to be of interest to furry fans. Legend of the Giant Panda (illustrated by Mirto Golino) is exactly what it sounds like: A mythic telling of how pandas got their distinctive black and white markings.  Hallelujah, A Cat Comes Back is a “cat book of virtues”, where a young tom gives us the feline wisdom brought down to him from his wise granny-cat. Illustrated with a collection of Victorian feline prints. Dragons Guard The Zoo is a collection of poems on many subjects, including animals real and fanciful. And In the Company of Bears (illustrated by Barbara Stone) has been described as a “children’s philosophy book”, in which bears are used to illustrate soothing rhymes about accepting people for what they are. All of these and more are available on Amazon and at Ms. Curtiss’ web site.

image c. 2014 A.B. Curtiss

image c. 2014 A.B. Curtiss

The Ladies and Their Dragons

The Art Lair is the official web site of writer and artist Jessica C. Feinberg, “a quirky writer and illustrator who is best known for mixing mundane and magic in her paintings of trees, dragons, faeries, and clockwork creatures” (her own words). Dragons seem to be the primary motif here — that is, dragons and the pretty human ladies they seem to hang around with a lot. Jessica has created both illustrations (many available as prints) as well as illustrated books like Dragon Scale: A Guide to Dragons and Dragons in the Library.

 

image c. 2014 by Jessica C. Feinberg

image c. 2014 by Jessica C. Feinberg

 

Big Teeth, Big Waves

Shelley Wolf is a creator of magic tricks for kids. Her husband Chance Wolf is a well-known comic book illustrator for titles like Spawn. When the two of them noticed how their son was getting really into shark lore, they decided to use that as an inspiration for a new series of books for kids. And so the Surf Sharks were born. The idea is simple: Three beach kids and three talking sharks hook up to ride the waves, have adventures, and learn more about our oceans. Surf Sharks: The First Ride just came out in hardcover from Surf Sharks Inc, and it’s available on Amazon. The creators also have a Surf Sharks web site with the books and other collectible shark stuff available.

image c. 2014 Surf Sharks Inc

image c. 2014 Surf Sharks Inc

Little Penguin Journeys North

Let’s stick with the bird theme for the moment. Pengey Penguin is an orphaned flipper-bird who is the star of two new hardcover novels for young readers — both created by author John Burns. In The Many Adventures of Pengey Penguin, our smooth-feathered hero ventures out into the Big World, encountering many dangers yet making friends at the same time. In The Further Adventures of Pengey Penguin that “Big World” becomes New York City, as Pengey moves in with his adoptive human friend — and both of them learn to make the situation work. Visit the official Pengey web site and you’ll find not only the books and several tie-in items like Pengey t-shirts, but also a collection of nature documentary shorts and even links to penguin-themed cartoons. These books are not available in stores: Only on-line, so visit the web site to get them.

image c. 2014 John Burns

image c. 2014 John Burns

Maybe Someday a New Chick Flick?

Sorry, sorry… It’s called The Chicken Squad, a series of light-hearted mystery stories written by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Kevin Cornell.  “Meet the Chicken Squad: Dirt, Sugar, Poppy, and Sweetie. These chicks are not your typical barnyard puffs of fluff, and they are not about to spend their days pecking chicken feed and chasing bugs. No sir, they’re too busy solving mysteries and fighting crime.” In The Chicken Squad: The First Misadventure, “… when Squirrel comes barreling into the chicken coop, the chicks know they’re about to get a case. But with his poor knowledge of shapes (‘Big’ is not a shape, Squirrel!) and utter fear of whatever it is that’s out there, the panicky Squirrel is NO HELP. Good thing these chicks are professionals”. Following all this? Check out this new book series from Atheneum Books for Young Readers over at Amazon, in one of several formats.

[Hey, don’t forget! You only have one week left to vote for the Ursa Major Awards — the Hugo Awards ™ of anthropomorphic fandom! Visit www.ursamajorawards.org to find out how.]

Image c. 2014 Atheneum Press

Image c. 2014 Atheneum Books

Monstery Goodness

Daniel and Dawna Davis, known collectively as Steam Crow, refer to themselves as “a husband and wife team based in Phoenix, Arizona, who make friendly monster-inspired art, prints, books, and other oddities”.  With a weird sense of humor and an extreme graphic-arts style to boot. Their books include Caught Creatures, a book of “monster haiku”. You can find that and much more at the Steam Crow web site, as well as a blog updating the latest of what they’re working on — and what’s the next convention or festival they’ll be appearing at.

image c. 2014 Steam Crow

image c. 2014 Steam Crow

The Straight Poop

Michael Vash is a fine artist,  illustrator, and former Disney employee  with a wicked sense of humor. Mostly (but not exclusively) it’s directed at our canine companions.  His first hardcover book is called Doggy Styles: The Poop and the Scoop — An Irreverent Guide to Man’s Best Friend, and it’s available at Amazon right now. Fair warning: These are not illustrations meant for kids! Also, check out Michael’s personal web site for sample pages from the book, as well as more of his illustrations both silly and not.

 

image c. 2014 by Michael Vash

image c. 2014 by Michael Vash

Raccoon Steals the Galaxy! News at Eleven.

As we get closer to the summertime release of Marvel Comics’ Guardians of the Galaxy movie, we’re likely to see more and more of Rocket Raccoon — and his buddy Groot, the anthropomorphic tree. Next up: Marvel’s “first in-house original prose novel”, Rocket Raccoon and Groot Steal the Galaxy by Dan Abnett — one of the original creators of Guardians of the Galaxy in 2008. “Rocket Raccoon and the faithful Groot are the baddest heroes in the cosmos, and they’re on the run across the Marvel Universe! During a spaceport brawl, the infamous pair rescues an android Recorder from a pack of alien Badoons, Everyone in the galaxy, however, including the ruthless Kree Empire and the stalwart Nova Corps, seems to want that Recorder, who’s about as sane as a sandwich with no mustard.” Check out the interview with Mr. Abnett at Comic Book Resources, and check out Steal the Galaxy when it arrives in hardcover this July.

image c. 2014 Marvel Comics

image c. 2014 Marvel Comics

Monkey-Boy and Thunder-Lizard

One of the lesser-known but much-beloved series by comic book great Jack Kirby returns as Marvel Comics collects Devil Dinosaur in a new trade paperback this May. “The adventures of a boy and his dinosaur! At the dawn of human evolution, during a time when primitive man co-existed with the dinosaurs that dominated the Earth, a unique friendship is born – a friendship that may be the only thing that can save mankind! Meet Moon Boy and his Tyrannosaurus pal – the red-skinned Devil Dinosaur – as they face off against giant spiders, enormous ants, and rampaging dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes!” Find out more at the Previews page. Devil Dinosaur: The Complete Collection brings together issues #1 – 9 of the original series.

image c. 2014 Marvel Comics

image c. 2014 Marvel Comics