I like to read and I enjoy writing reviews. But sometimes a book is not able to produce a long review. There isn’t a lot to say, or if you do, there are more words in your review than the actual book. These below titles fall into that category as well as the category of sometimes you cannot find a theme to link books together in a review other than they don’t allow for longer reviews and they have nothing in common. And that is the second theme for this review.
Deep Thoughts from a Shallow Grave: Epitaphs to Die For by Anthony Martignetti is graveyard humor at its best. It is both off-color and sweet all in one. What do you want on your tombstone when the time comes? Try one of these! The black page has white drawings of sayings that have been found on tombstones or possibly made up. But regardless of which it is (or both), they are clever and range from the profound to the profane to the down right punny. Martignetti helps you have the last word, laugh or thought, or all the above while you’re down below.. This is an adult book that could be amusing to teens, but is aimed at the physically grown up. It is a funny, great “housewarming gift” for the offbeat friend.
You think you know the story of Old McDonald, but there is a story before that one. And we get that in The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by LeUyen Pham. The idea is that a man likes his tidy place. He likes plants. What he does not like is animals. That is until the cat shows up. And another one. A couple of dogs, chickens, geese, pigs and a few other animals later he has a regular untidy apartment and a bunch of grumpy neighbors. What is a poor old man to do? Does he get rid of his friends or not? The artwork is fun, not overly colorful, but not muted. The details are strong and between the two we get a classic and modern feeling.
Oh, yeah the third theme? They don’t even fall into the same genre, as one is adult and the other is for kids.
