My Dog: The Paradox: A Lovable Discourse about Man's Best Friend

Andrew McMeel Publishing, LLC

My Dog:  The Paradox:  A Lovable Discourse about Man's Best Friend
The Oatmeal (Matthew Inman)
2013

The Summary
"Dogs are funny creatures.  They fear the hair dryer but not the garbage truck.  They gleefully roll in the dirt (and other smelly things), yet they clean their private parts obsessively.  Their lives aren't lengthy, logical, or deliberate but an explosive paradox of fur, teeth, and enthusiasm.  Perhaps that's why we love them."

The Good
I probably laughed way too hard at this book.  As a dog lover and owner, I could certainly relate to the weird and funny and, sometimes, gross things dogs will do.  They are all these things and more--and, as Inman writes, that's precisely why we love them.

The Bad
The Oatmeal is an acquired taste.  If you pick up anything he's written, you'll see what I mean.

The Ugly
Nothing really.  It's a short, rather sweet comic about dogs and our love for them/their love for us, and it's a whole lot of fun to read.  Inman's humor can sometimes be a bit offensive, but his comics are worth reading at least once.

Mr. Popper's Penguins

Open Road

Mr. Popper's Penguins
Richard Atwater
Florence Atwater
1938

The Summary
"It was hard enough for Mr. Popper to support himself, Mrs. Popper, Bill and Janie Popper.  The addition of twelve penguins to the family made it impossible to make both ends meet.  Then Mr. Popper had a splendid idea--the talented penguins would be a sensation on the stage.  And so they were...

"A classic American humor, this story of a gentle house-painter and his high-stepping penguins has delighted children for generations."

The Good
Mr. Popper's Penguins is actually a lot of fun.  It's full of little adventurous:  trying to figure out how to support a house full of penguins, creating such a grand display with 12 penguins in tow, looking for a taxi that would take them all across town--and wouldn't be frightened of the birds.

And, speaking of penguins, I loved those little birds.  Starting with Greta and Captain Cook, it's such a fun journey to see how their little clan grows and flourishes and becomes national performance stars.  They were such characters, and I could see why Mr. Popper loved them so.

Overall, Mr. Popper's Penguins was an amusing little book and easy to read, meaning it's a great book for a young audience.

The Bad
Admittedly, I did find myself feeling a little bored while reading Mr. Popper's Penguins.  I mean, it's a great children's book, but, honestly, I wasn't smitten.  Moreover, as an adult, I found some of the things the Poppers' did to accommodate the penguins made me wince.  Like turning the living room into an ice rink--I mean, do you know what kind of havoc that would wreak on wood floors, not to mention the walls?

And I lamented the debt that poor Mr. Popper accrued for the refrigeration unit in the basement, or the costliness of fresh fish and every day bills for keeping a dozen penguins happy and healthy.  It's a bit difficult to read as an adult, realizing the economic toll, despite suspending disbelief.

The Ugly
Crippling debt.

Frisky Business

Sourcebook Casablanca

Frisky Business
Tawna Fenske
2014

The Summary
"No more rich men for Marley Cartman.  Absolutely not.  Thanks to her dad, her ex-fiance, and the overbearing donors she schmoozes for a living, she's had more than her fill.  From now on, she wants blue-collar men with dirt under their fingernails.  But when Marley makes a break to handle donor relations for a wildlife sanctuary, she finds herself drawn to the annoyingly charming--and disturbingly wealthy--chairman of the board.

"Judging by his hipster T-shirts, motley assortment of canine companions, and penchant for shaking up stuffy board meetings, you'd never guess that William Barclay the Fifth is a brilliantly successful businessman.  Will has good reason to be leery of scheming women, and as he and Marley butt heads over the wisdom of bringing grumpy badgers to charity events, he can't help but wonder if his new donor relations coordinator is hiding something other than a perfect figure beneath that designer suit..."

The Good
This book was so much fun.

Frisky Business is absolutely hilarious.  Granted, I found it slightly strange and a touch unrealistic, but, overall, it was enjoyable.  It made me laugh until I couldn't laugh anymore, which allows me to forgive any number of sins, including unrealistic romantic relationships.

Marley is a strangely endearing female character with overbearing parents and a penchant for people pleasing; Will has a dysfunctional family (an aunt who collects phallic rock statues) and trust issues (his ex-wife ran off with his sister).  They're an odd couple, especially after Marley vows never to date a rich man ever again, but they just seem make perfect sense.

I mean, I just love the way they interact.  They're funny characters with unique personalities and respecting baggage.  It's so much fun to watch them flounder through their feelings and combat all the day-to-day calamities involved with relationships and working with a wildlife sanctuary--like overbearing fathers, ex-convict mothers, slobbery canines, ex-wives turned sister's new girlfriend, etc.

It's hilarious.  Almost on par with Fenske's other romantic comedy, Making Waves.

The Bad
Personally, I just didn't care for the conclusion.  It seemed...forced, in my opinion.  But I think that's more of a personal preference than a true reflection of the novel.

The Ugly
Phallic rocks.

You heard me.

Breaking Cat News

Andrews McMeel Publishing

Breaking Cat News
Georgia Dunn
2016

The Summary
"This just in:  Three adorable house cats are reporting the most hilarious breaking news!

"Cynical, no-nonsense Elvis and shy, sweet, sensitive Puck are the reporter kitties in the field, while the adventurous jokester Lupin serves as anchor cat.  Together they break headlines on the food bowl, new plants, mysterious red dots, strange cats in the yard, and all the daily happenings in their home."

The Good
Oh my gosh, I absolutely loved reading Breaking Cat News.

It's an adorable collection of comics by Georgia Dunn that follows the adventures--or, more accurately, the misadventures--of a quirky feline trio.  There's sweet, lovable Puck; adventurous and gregarious little Lupin; and loyal, if perennially grumpy, Elvis.  Together, they--along with Tommy, the cat from the backyard, and the "Ceiling Cats" (i.e. the cats that live on the floor above), and the other outdoor cats--make up Breaking Cat News, reporting on news that matters to cats.

The report on new toys, packing peanuts (a favorite), the mysterious Red Dot, empty food bowls, cooking bacon, the "July Bug," and, most importantly, the Biannual 2 a.m. Running of the Cats.  Without a doubt, Breaking Cat News is one of the cutest comic collections I've had the pleasure to read.

Like my coworkers (who convinced me to read it), I appreciated the touches of humor and heart that made me feel as warm and fuzzy as the blankets the cats adore.  Plus, I loved the variety of characters that made an appearance, loved the ways the cats interacted and communicated.  I especially loved Tommy and the "Ceiling Cats," Tabitha (who is positively fearless--and, moreover, has caught the Red Dot) and Sir Figaro Newton.  They were a delightful addition to the cast, and I laughed over their regular encounters with Elvis, Lupin, and Puck.

Truthfully, this is a wonderful collection and I can't wait to read more from Georgia Dunn.

The Bad
It's too short.

Luckily, there's more on Breaking Cat News.  I can't wait to read more about Puck, Lupin, and Elvis's adventures as they report on all the news that's important to cats.

The Ugly
Not a thing.  Breaking Cat News is utterly adorable and probably the most fun I've had since Election Day.

The Fox and the Star

Penguin Books

The Fox and the Star
Coralie Bickford-Smith
2015

The Summary
"The Fox and the Star is the story of a friendship between a lonely Fox and the Star who guides him through the frightfully dark forest.  Illuminated by Star's rays, Fox forages for food, runs with the rabbits, and dances in the rain--until Star suddenly goes out and life changes, leaving Fox huddling for warmth in the unfamiliar dark.  To find his missing Star, Fox must embark on a wondrous journey beyond the world he knows--a journey lit by courage, newfound friends, and just maybe, a star-filled new sky.

"Inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement and the art of William Blake, The Fox and the Star is a heartwarming, hopeful tale which comes alive through Bickford-Smith's beloved illustrations, guiding readers both young and grown to 'look up beyond your ears.'"

The Good
The Fox and the Star is a short, sweet and incredibly beautiful children's book.  I stumbled across it by accident, spying the cover on a recommendation list or, maybe, somewhere on one of the many bookish websites I inhabit.  Anyway, I read it simply because I fell in love with the cover.  I mean, I loved the dark background highlighted with twisting, spiraling vines--and I couldn't pass up a book about a fox.

Admittedly, I thought it might be a young readers novel--like something in the realm of Louis Sachar, or Cressida Cowell--but I discovered it's actually a children's book, an illustrated story that lasts, at most, 30 pages.  However, I can't say I wasn't pleased with The Fox and the Star.  It's a wonderful little story that I'm sure will appeal to young children and, maybe, their parents.

I loved the illustrations.  I loved Fox and his bright orange fur; I loved the dark, quiet forest with its vines and its rabbit dens; I loved the sky of stars.  And I absolutely loved reading the phrase, "Look up beyond your ears."  It had a quality to it, a strange and scintillating illustration that appealed to me more than I expected.

Altogether, The Fox and the Star is wonderfully drawn fable that feels different from the usual ones I've stumbled across in children's literature.  More importantly, it combines a creative story with fantastic illustration to create a magical book.

The Bad
As I pointed out, The Fox and the Star is a children's book.  It's maybe 30 pages--35 pages, at the most--and it's not very complex.  There's not much depth there, if that's what you happen to be looking for.

Like I said, it's for kids.  It's a much simpler story with a much simpler format.

The Ugly
It's a children's book.  There's absolutely nothing to report that might even be misconstrued as crude or explicit or "bad."

No scandalous behavior, no explicit material or foul language, no terrifying images or mature themes.  There's nothing there that might make a reader feel uncomfortable.

Except the beetles.  For some reason, those things gave me the creeps.

Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures

Candlewick Press

Flora & Ulysses:  The Illuminated Adventures
Kate DiCamillo
K.G. Campbell
2013

The Summary
Flora Belle Buckman is a cynic.  Ulysses is an unassuming squirrel.  That is, until he's suddenly turned into a superhero after an incident with a monstrous vacuum cleaner.

Now, gifted with incredible superpowers, Ulysses, under the tutelage of Flora, must learn how to use his new found abilities to protect the innocent and save the world.

After he finds something to eat, of course.

The Good
As I have a fondness for squirrels - and I was unexpectedly enchanted by the cover - I decided to read Flora & Ulysses:  The Illuminated Adventures, and I'm very glad I did.  It's an enjoyable little novel (albeit a little strange) with unusually quirky characters and a heart-warming story riddled with adventure and intrigue and danger.

Some part of me adores cynical, comic book-reading Flora Belle Buckman.  I loved her sense of humor and her desire to hope, her love of comics, and her fondness for sweet, heroic Ulysses.  She's such a sweet character, even when she's trying not to be, and she has such hope for little Ulysses.  And I loved that she was constantly changing, constantly learning, building and repairing relationships.

Although the other characters involved in Flora and Ulysses' adventures are unusual, I enjoyed them just as much.  William Spiver, Dr. Meescham, Mr. Buckman and Mrs. Buckman, and others, were all so strange (I might even say downright weird), but they were genuinely nice people who adapted to new circumstances and learned lessons from their mistakes - and, in the end, showed how much they cared for young Flora.

I really did enjoy Flora & Ulysses.  While it may be a children's book, it has a complexity to it that I think speaks to readers (of all ages) who have endured a parents' divorce and, more importantly, dared to hope when it seemed hopeless.

The Bad
It's a children's book, so I doubt it will appeal to all readers.  However fans of Because of Winn-Dixie, lovers of squirrels and superheroes, and younger readers may find something to enjoy in DiCamillo's novel.

The Ugly
Life can be messy.

And life, especially the life of a squirrel, can be rather brutal.

A Street Cat Named Bob

Thomas Dunne Books

A Street Cat Named Bob
James Bowen
2012

The Summary
"A Street Cat Named Bob is an international sensation, landing on the bestseller list in England for fifty-two consecutive weeks and selling in twenty-six country around the world.  Now, James and Bob are ready to share their true story with readers in the United States.  This is a tale unlike any you've ever read, and Bob is a cat who possesses some kind of magic.

"When street musician James Bowen found an injured cat curled up in the hallway of his apartment building, he had no idea how much his life was about to change.  James was living hand to mouth on the streets of London, barely making enough money to feed himself, and the last thing he needed was a pet.  Yet James couldn't resist helping the strikingly intelligent but very sick animal, whom he named Bob.  He slowly nursed Bob back to health and then sent the cat on his way, imagining that he would never see him again.  But Bob had other ideas."

The Good
I was pleasantly surprised by A Street Cat Named Bob.  When I picked it up at the recommendation of a coworker, I was a little hesitant; however, I'm glad I took the opportunity to read it, because it is a great book.

Granted, I was originally attracted to Bowen's memoir since it featured a cat (and I love cats and dogs, if you can't tell from some of my other reviews) and I liked reading about his growing relationship with Bob, his ginger tomcat, but I think I also appreciated the way his story developed.  James Bowen is an excellent narrator and, with the help of Garry Jenkins, his character, his tone of voice--the qualities that make him unique as an individual--shine through the entire work.

I found the book was easy to read, full of remarkable little stories and memories that make it singularly satisfying.  It's a simple affair, straight-forward in its retelling of life with a stray cat, but it's so honest and earnest.  Bowen is a candid narrator, recounting all the hope and peril of day-to-day addiction recovery.

It's easy to get sucked into the story, like how pedestrians gravitate toward Bob when Bowen is "busking."  It's undeniable.  (And don't worry if you don't know what "busking" means right now.  Bowen is sure to fill you in.)  It's heart-warming and sweet--and I was so glad I had the chance to pick up A Street Cat Named Bob.

The Bad
I don't really have any complaints.  A Street Cat Named Bob is a solid story with an excellent set of authors.  Bowen and Jenkins work well together, creating a memoir that's surprisingly poignant and hopeful.  It's book that I highly recommend reading if you're an animal lover, especially if you're of the variety who have picked up Marley & Me.

The Ugly
Drug addiction, plain and simple.

Carrying Albert Home: The Somewhat True Story of a Man, His Wife, and Her Alligator

William Morrow

Carrying Albert Home:  The Somewhat True Story of a Man, His Wife, and Her Alligator
Homer Hickam
2015

The Summary
"Elsie Lavender and Homer Hickam Sr.- the future parents of Homer Hickam Jr. - were high school classmates in the West Virginia coalfields, graduating just as the Great Depression began.  When Homer asked for her hand, Elsie instead headed to Orlando, where she sparked with a dancing actor named Buddy Ebsen (yes, that Buddy Ebsen).  But when Buddy headed for New York, Elsie's dreams of a life with him were crushed and eventually she found herself back in the coalfields, married to Homer.

"Unfulfilled as a miner's wife, Elsie was reminded of her carefree days in Florida every day because of Buddy's unusual wedding gift:  an alligator named Albert who lived in the only bathroom in their little house.  Eventually, Homer gave Elsie an ultimatum:  'Me or the alligator!'  After giving it some thought, Elsie concluded there was only one thing to do - carry Albert home.

"Carrying Albert Home tells the sweet, funny, and sometimes heartbreaking tale of a young couple and their special pet on a crazy 1,000-mile journey.  Told with the warmth and down-home charm that made Rocket Boys a beloved bestseller, Homer Hickam's rollicking novel is truly a testament to that strange and marvelous emotion we call love."

The Good
I enjoyed Carrying Albert Home.  It's a sweet, quirky story:  two people making an oddball journey through the south to return an incredibly expressive alligator to his natural habitat - I mean, it can't get any stranger than that.  Well, it can (and does, on occasion) as Elsie and Homer Senior stumble across bank robbers, bootleggers, rioters, smugglers, serial killers, and all manner of sundry creatures on their journey south.

And speaking of alligators, I loved Albert.  He is, I think, the best alligator I've ever read about in literature - then again, he may be the only alligator I've read about.  Nevertheless, I liked him (and the rooster) and their wild journey from West Virginia to Florida.  Their story, while highly unusual, is simultaneously hilarious and fun; more importantly, it's never boring.

Hickam has a storyteller's prose, weaving a tangled story of suspense and adventure and, ultimately, love.  Moreover, he manages to create wonderful characters that are sure to entertain.  Such as the strange, villainous duo of robbers Homer first encounters, or the bootlegger with whom Elsie spars.  It's a strange gathering of people and animals that left me laughing and shaking my head for the absurdity.

As I was reading, I learned to like Elsie.  Headstrong, defiant, inventive and, yes, courageous in her own way, Elsie was a fascinating female character; however, I have to say, I adore Homer (senior, of course).  Although Homer is a simple man - a coal miner by trade whose only aspirations are a steady job and a happy family - he is a smart man who is loyal to a fault and loves Elsie with all his heart, even if he can't always express it.

A lesser man wouldn't have bothered with a trip to Florida; a lesser man would never have faced bank robbers, rioters (with dynamite), bootleggers, poetry-writing serial killers, smugglers, or hurricanes; a lesser man wouldn't have fought so hard for a woman who wasn't sure of her feelings.  It's a sweet, strange love story that made me wonder from chapter-to-chapter, but I enjoyed it overall.

The Bad
Carrying Albert Home is a strange, strange book.  I don't know if the author intentionally made certain parts of his novel vague, or if he was attempting to give depth and symbolism to Albert's journey (like the rooster, who must play a much larger part than we know, but we never find out), or if he was doing something else entirely.

Either way, I often found myself thinking Elsie and Homer's journey to Florida was much bigger than either of them knew.

The Ugly
Homer and Elsie confront bank robbers, violent rioters in the midst of a strike, dangerous bootleggers, smugglers, serial killers, movie directors, and a number of other dangerous things that each had the potential to kill them.  Perhaps the ones who made my stomach turn most were Carlos and lovely Souffle.

Yes, that is really her name.  And, yes, they are about as strange as you can imagine.

But don't let their names deceive you.  You see, they're a couple of spiders who ensnare and eventually kill lost and wayward men.  Carlos is a poet; Souffle is his mistress - and they're both a special kind of crazy that's hard to describe.  Their method is simple, as Carlos elaborates to Homer:  "Though their souls were artless, Souffle gave them a moment of poetic joy and then I made their deaths perfect."

Souffle seduces them; Carlos kills them.  End of story.

It feels like a story from the Odyssey with Souffle akin to Circe - and, well, Carlos is simply a maniac with a pitch fork and penchant to create horrible poetry.  It's incredibly strange and, admittedly, a little horrifying.

Chomp

Random House

Chomp
Carl Hiaasen
2013

The Summary
"Wahoo Cray lives in a zoo.  His father is an animal wrangler, so he's grown up with all manner of gators, snakes, parrots, rats, monkeys, and snappers in his backyard.  The critters, he can handle.  His father is the unpredictable one.

"When his dad takes a job with a reality TV show called Expedition Survival!, Wahoo figures he'll have to do a bit of wrangling himself - to keep his dad from killing Derek Badger, the show's inept and egotistical star, before the shoot is over.  But the job keeps getting more complicated.  Derek Badger foolishly believes his own PR and insists on using wild animals for his stunts.  And Wahoo's acquired a shadow named Tuna - a girl who's sporting a shiner courtesy of her father and needs a place to hide out.

"They've only been on location in the Everglades for a day before Derek gets bitten by a bat and goes missing in a storm.  Search parties head out and promptly get lost themselves.  And then Tuna's dad shows up with a gun...

"It's anyone's guess who will actually  survive Expedition Survival...."

The Good
Hiaasen's novel alternates between uproariously funny and viciously somber with a hint of razor-sharp wit thrown into the mix.  Between his father's adoration for animals and Derek Badger's utter disregard for common sense, Chomp is utterly - and unpredictably - comical.  Like Mickey Cray getting a concussion from a frozen iguana, or Derek Badger being bitten by a bat and believing he will turn into a vampire.

Chomp manages to brush against serious themes without weighing down the story.  Tuna, for example, is caught in a terrible family situation; while it becomes a factor in the book (and Hiaasen shines a light on abuse), the author doesn't attempt to preach or condemn.  He manages to give his novel a serious tone while still making his story adventurous and lighthearted.

I loved Wahoo's matter-of-fact view of the world:  when Alice (the alligator) accidentally took his thumb, he attributes it to his own carelessness; when he loses his new cell phone in one of the ponds on his dad's property, he knew he shouldn't have been trying to feed the raccoons at the same time; and when he finds his dad wrapped up by a boa constrictor, he helps untangle his dad and takes the snake back to her exhibit.

Wahoo and his dad are an interesting team.  I definitely liked seeing how Mickey Cray would handle Derek Badger and his antics - and how Wahoo would manage to handle his dad.

The Bad
I don't really have any complaints about Chomp.  It has a unique sense of humor, which had the occasion of not completely appealing to me, but I think that's just a personal preference; otherwise, I enjoyed Chomp and I had fun reading it.

However, I would not really recommend reading it on a tablet phone.  It kind of loses its punch on a small screen.

The Ugly
Derek does think he's a vampire for a little while.  And Tuna's father wreaks utter havoc on the set of Expedition Survival - and it's actually frightening to think that some of these characters are in real danger and they might not survive.

Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog

William Morrow

Marley & Me:  Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog
John Grogan
2005

The Summary
"John and Jenny were just beginning their life together.  They were young and in love, with a perfect little house and not a care in the world.  Then they brought home Marley, a wiggly yellow furball of a puppy.  Life would never be the same.

"Marley quickly grew into a barreling, ninety-seven-pound steamroller of a Labrador retriever, a dog like no other.  He crashed through screen doors, gouged through drywall, flung drool on guests, stole women's undergarments, and ate nearly everything he could get his mouth around, including couches and fine jewelry.  Obedience school did not go good - Marley was expelled.  Neither did the tranquilizers the veterinarian prescribed for him with the admonishment, 'Don't hesitate to use these.'

"And yet Marley's heart was pure.  Just as he joyfully refused any limits on his behavior, his love and loyalty were boundless, too.  Marley shared the couple's joy at their first pregnancy and their heartbreak over the miscarriage.  He was there when babies finally arrived and when the screams of a seventeen-year-old stabbing victim pierced the night.  Marley shut down a public beach and managed to land a role in a feature-length movie, always winning hearts as he made a mess of things.  Through it all, he remained steadfast, a model of devotion, even when his family was at its wit's end.  Unconditional love, they would learn, comes in many forms.

"Is it possible for humans to discover the key to happiness through a bigger-than-life, bad-boy dog?  Just ask the Grogans."

The Good
I loved this book.  I loved every bit of it.

As an experienced journalist, John Grogan has an incredible skill with words and he has a wonderful story to tell that encompasses a universal human experience:  owning a rambunctious dog.  He describes Marley with such careful detail, making sure to catalog the usual problems that (most) pet owners experience and the simple joys of having a devoted dog in one's life.

Honestly, Marley & Me hits close to home.  Having owned pets for most of my life, I know exactly what kind of complications one can run into when owning a dog, especially an aging pet, but I also know how critical they are to our daily lives, how important they are to our hearts and, truthfully, our well-being.

Dogs can be an aggravation.  They slobber, they bark, they tear things up - staircases, bike pedals, wood trim, shoes, clothes, socks, books, and surely more - and they know how to make a mess; however, they are family.  They give us love and affection, joy and laughter.  They are our constant companions through life and, no matter the costs, we love them and care for them.

As Grogan pointed out, "A dog judges others not by their color or creed or class but by who they are inside.  A dog doesn't care if you are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull.  Give him your heart and he will give you his."

And that's just about the best thing there is.

The Bad
I have no complaints about Marley & Me.  It's an exceptionally well-written story that appealed to me for its emotional depth and its ability to relate to the reader.

The Ugly
I cried.

I'm not joking.  I bawled like a baby at the end of this memoir, because, like the other members in the Secret Brotherhood of Dysfunctional Dog Owners, I know exactly what it's like to own a crazy canine and what it's like to lose one of the best friends you'll ever have.