Follow Stick Man through a disastrous day in this hilarious adventure inspired by real signs. Stick Man is that guy you see around town but don’t really know very well. Everywhere you go, there he is, crossing the street, waiting for the bus, issuing warnings about potential disasters at sea and on land, at the mall and at work. But when he’s not offering advice, what does a day in the life of Stick Man actually look like? This catastrophe-packed book uses images derived from real signs to follow a continuous narrative as Stick Man navigates the perils of a single, hilariously bad day. Everyone has had that day that just keeps getting worse, but Stick Man’s adventures show readers both what a bad day really looks like, and that in the end it’s never really quite as bad as it may seem. It’s the perfect pick-me-up for when life, or a forklift, knocks you down.

A day in the life of Stick Man using images derived from real signs from around the world.

Have you ever fallen victim to Murphy's law? Sometimes bad things just happen. In Why Sh*t Happens, esteemed British scientist Peter J. Bentley takes readers on an informative and amusing tour through the least lucky, most accident-prone day of their lives. From sleeping through the alarm clock and burning breakfast to getting caught in the rain and navigating a slippery road, Bentley brilliantly explores disaster and mishap on a molecular level. In the process, he explains the science behind each accident, arming readers with the knowledge to understand what went wrong and how they can steer clear of future harm. Science is respected, trusted, and according to Bentley, largely misunderstood. Why Sh*t Happens urges readers to arm themselves with the power of science in order to better understand the world around them. When a car engine is damaged by the wrong gasoline or a computer is attacked by a virus, science is not to blame, but rather can provide an explanation of what happened. In a text that exudes charm and wit, Bentley reveals the causes behind a wide spectrum of mishaps, including why that razor nick won't stop bleeding, why metal sparks in the microwave, what makes chewing gum stick in hair, and why milk tastes sour when it goes bad. Sh*t will always happen, but now readers will know exactly why. Enter, if you dare, the world of everyday disasters.

Wonderfully Wordless: The 500 Most Recommended Graphic Novels and Picture Books is the first comprehensive best book guide to wordless picture books (and nearly wordless picture books). It is an indispensable resource for parents and teachers who love graphic storytelling or who recognize the value of these exceptional books in working with different types of students, particularly preschool, English as a Second Language (ESL), and special needs, and creative writers. Every age group will benefit from Wonderfully Wordless, from babies and toddlers encountering their first books, to elementary age children captivated by the popular fantasy and adventure themes, to teenagers attracted to graphic novels because of their more intense content and comic book format. Even adults who are not yet readers will benefit from this uniquely authoritative resource because it will provide a bridge to literacy and give them books that they can immediately share with their children. Wonderfully Wordless is the ultimate guide to wordless and almost wordless books. Its 500 exemplary titles are a composite of 140 sources including recommendations from reference books, award lists, book reviews, professional journals, literary blogs, and the collections of many of the most prominent libraries in the United States and the English-speaking world. The US libraries include the Boston Public Library, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Denver Library, New York Public Library, and Seattle Public Library, as well as the academic libraries at Bank Street College, Miami University, Michigan State University, Penn State University, Stanford University, and University of Chicago. The international libraries include the University of Oxford, British Council Library India, British Library, Hong Kong Public Libraries, National Library of the Philippines, Toronto Public Library, Trinity College Library (Dublin), Vancouver Public Library, and the National Library of New Zealand. The 500 books included here are generated from a database with 7,300 booklist entries. In essence, the ranked list emerging from this compilation will constitute “votes” for the most popular titles, the ones most experts agree are the best. By pooling the expertise from the US and other English-speaking countries, Wonderfully Wordless is an unrivaled core list of classic and contemporary titles. This authoritative reference book conveys not the opinion of one expert, but the combined opinions of a legion of experts. If a single picture is worth a thousand words, then a multitude of the picture-only texts is worth a compendium. Wonderfully Wordless is organized by theme and format and readers should have no problem zeroing in on their favorite topics. There are thirty-one chapters organized by topics such as Christmas Cheer, Character Values, Comedy Capers, Pet Mischief, Creative Journeys, Fascinating Fantasies, and Marvelous Mysteries. There is a full spectrum of wordless fiction and nonfiction, concept books, visual puzzles, board books, cloth books, woodcut novels, graphic novels, and more.

Stick, a Civil War veteran in search of his lost love, and Whittle, an orphan on the run, team up on a wild adventure out West where they are soon involved in serious troubles and face unexpected dangers. Reprint.

When your best friend is just a tiny bit psychotic, you should never actually believe him when he says, "Trust me. This is gonna be awesome." Of course, you probably wouldn't believe a voodoo doll could work either. Or that it could cause someone's leg to blow clean off with one quick prick. But I've seen it. It can happen. And when there's suddenly a doll of YOU floating around out there—a doll that could be snatched by a Rottweiler and torn to shreds, or a gang of thugs ready to torch it, or any random family of cannibals (really, do you need the danger here spelled out for you?)—well, you know that's just gonna be a really bad day ... "Jeff Strand is hilariously funny and truly deranged." —Christopher Golden, author of When Rose Wakes

Bobbie Faye Sumrall knows that a day without disaster is a day in someone else's life. Criminals have kidnapped her good-for-nothing brother and are demanding her Contraband Queen tiara--the only thing of her mama's she inherited--as random. So Bobbie Faye has to outwit the police, organized crime, former boyfriends, and a hostage she never intended to take (but who turns out to be damn sexy!), in order to rescue her brother, keep custody of her niece, and get back in time to take her place as Queen in the Lake Charles Contraband Festival (think Mardi Gras, with more drinking and pirates). Luckily, Bobbie Faye knows how to handle guns, outsmart angry mama bears, drive a speedboat, and get herself out of--and into--almost every kind of trouble. If only that pesky state police detective (who also happens to be a pissed-off ex-boyfriend) would stay out of her way . . . "Bobbie Faye is a true original and Toni McGee Causey a true talent!" --Melissa Senate, author of See Jane Date and Love You To Death "I love Bobbie Faye's Very (very, very, very) Bad Day by Toni McGee Causey. The tears are still running down my cheeks from laughing. Oh, my. What talent. What verve. What NERVE!" --Gayle Lynds, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Spymaster