best of 2014 – FAB BOOK REVIEWS

Best of 2014, Part 4: Picture Books

michelle@fabbookreviews — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 16:07:39 +0000

This collage of covers includes my picks for top picture book titles I read in 2014. Please note that some titles may have been published in previous years, but they were all new to me this year! In no particular order, here are my favourites:

Best of 2014, Part 3: Humour

michelle@fabbookreviews — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 08:30:09 +0000

While much of my 2014 reading from the humour genre came from rereads of my favourite comic strip collections, there were a few new standouts for me:

Tails Don’t Lie: A Decade of Dog Cartoons (70 in Dog Years) by Adrian Raeside I’ve long enjoyed Canadian cartoonist Raeside’s The Other Coast comic strip, along with his editorial cartoons. This was a terrific collection of his canine comics- genuinely funny and loving at the same time.

Breaking Stephan: A Pearls Before Swine Collection by Stephan Pastis Hullo, zeeba neighba! I missed the crocs. While I thought the previous Pearls collection- Rat’s Wars- was good, I thought Breaking Stephan was just great- fresher, sharper, more focused…and pee in the pants funny.

The Little World of Liz Climo by Liz Climo. You can read more about this wonderful find in my review, and take a look at some of Climo’s beautifully drawn work on her site.

Lunch Wore a Speedo: The Nineteenth Sherman’s Lagoon Collection by Jim Toomey Oh Sherman’s Lagoon, how I love you so! I have been a major (I’m talking major) fan of Toomey’s strip for over ten years now. I can’t get enough! I thought the last few collections- and running gags- weren’t as up to par, but this one one was a real treat- crisp jokes, belly-laugh inducing.

*Note: These are titles I have read in 2014; titles may have been published in previous years. Rereads are not included on this list.

Best of 2014, Part 2: Children’s Fiction and Young Adult

michelle@fabbookreviews — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 22:04:52 +0000

My picks for top 5 children’s and top 5 YA fiction I read this year:

Murder Most Unladylike (Wells and Wong #1) by Robin Stevens

The Return of Zita the Spacegirl (Zita the Spacegirl #3) by Ben Hatke

Now Look What You’ve Done (Timmy Failure #2) by Stephen Pastis

We Meet Again (Timmy Failure #3) by Stephan Pastis

Emperor Pickletine Rides the Bus (Origami Yoda #6) by Tom Angleberger

The Sweetest Thing You Can Sing by C.K. Kelly Martin

Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour

All the Truth That’s in Me by Julie Berry

Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson

A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller

*Note: These are titles I have read in 2014; titles may have been published in previous years. Rereads are not included on this list.