Return to where the Patterson family began inside this second treasury of For Better or For Worse. The first treasury, Something Old, Something New, (December 2010), has already shipped more than 17,000 copies.As its title suggests, First, There Was Chaos follows John and Elly Patterson as they tackle the everyday joys and sorrows—and surprises and frustrations and challenges—that arise when raising a young family. In her second For Better or For Worse treasury, Lynn Johnston takes readers back to the 1980s, when Elly leaves her ho for a job at the library. As Elly chases her professional goals, she struggles with spending less time at home. Meanwhile, John provides consistent comic relief, as he plays Mr. Mom, breaks his foot with a 25-pound turkey, and gets arrested for trying to steal a potty. Of course, the kids are always in tow—Michael learning that with age comes responsibility and Elizabeth discovering the thrills of kindergarten. Combining strips from Johnston’s fourth, fifth, and sixth cartoon collections—Just One More Hug, The Last Straw, and Keep the Home Fries Burning—First, There Was Chaos reflects Johnston’s longstanding tradition of portraying family life with charm, humor, and honesty. Devoted fans will love reliving the Pattersons’ younger years, and first-time readers will discover why this endearing foursome is North America’s favorite funny page family.It takes a keen eye to recognize life’s shared experiences and an even keener intellect to assemble those moments in a humorous and heartfelt way. With For Better or For Worse, Johnston elevates everyday aspects of life into brilliant observations on personal career goals, parenting choices, and coffee klatch friendships. In 2008, Johnston made an unprecedented move within the cartooning community by deciding to use former plotlines as starting points for new ones. For Better or For Worse has been syndicated since 1979 and was named Best Syndicated Comic Strip in 1992. For Better or For Worse appears in more than 1,600 newspapers in 23 countries, and is translated into 8 languages for a devoted readership of more than 220 million. The strip boasts a lively Web presence at www.fborfw.com.

As its title implies, In the Beginning There Was Chaos follows John and Elly Patterson as they tackle the everyday joys and sorrows--and surprises and frustrations and challenges--that arise when raising a young family. In her second For Better or For Worse treasury, Lynn Johnston takes readers back to the 1980s, when Elly leaves her column for a job at the library. As Elly chases her professional goals, she struggles with spending less time at home. Meanwhile, John provides consistent comic relief, as he plays Mr. Mom, breaks his foot with a 25-pound turkey, and gets arrested for trying to steal a potty. Of course, the kids are always in tow--Michael learning that with age comes responsibility and Elizabeth discovering the thrills of kindergarten.

Combining strips from Johnston's fourth, fifth, and sixth cartoon collections--Just One More Hug, The Last Straw, and Keep the Home Fries Burning--In the Beginning There Was Chaos reflects Johnston's longstanding tradition of portraying family life with charm, humor, and honesty. Devoted fans will love reliving the Pattersons' younger years, and first-time readers will discover why this endearing foursome is North America's favorite funny page family.

In the Beginning There Was Chaos includes Johnston's commentary on the inspiration behind strips, as well as photos and newspaper clippings from the early days, providing a behind-the-scenes glimpse for fans of For Better or For Worse. Join the Patterson family as they find humor in everyday life's challenges.

Lynn Johnston was born in Collingwood, Ontario, and grew up in British Columbia. Today, she lives in Corbeil, Ontario. Johnston is the first woman to receive a Reuben Award for Cartoonist of the Year by the National Cartoonists Society in 1985. She has also received the Order of Canada and claims a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.

For Better or For Worse has been syndicated since 1979 and was named Best Syndicated Comic Strip in 1992. For Better or For Worse appears in more than 2,000 newspapers in 23 countries, and is translated into 8 languages for a devoted readership of more than 220 million. The strip boasts a lively Web presence at www.fborfw.com.

In the Beginning, There Was Chaos

$25.99

Return to where the Patterson family began inside this latest collection of For Better or For Worse. Michael prepares for his first day of kindergarten, Elly returns to school to complete her English degree, the family adopts Mrs. Baird’s sheepdog, a.k.a. Farley, Elizabeth grows from baby to toddler, and despite her best efforts, Elly can do nothing to treat John’s hopelessly incurable fashion sense. It takes a keen eye to recognize life’s shared experiences and an even keener intellect to assemble those moments in a humorous and heartfelt way. With For Better or For Worse, Johnston elevates everyday aspects of life into brilliant observations on personal career goals, parenting choices, and coffee klatch friendships. For Better or For Worse has been syndicated since 1979 and was named Best Syndicated Comic Strip in 1992. For Better or For Worse appears in more than 2,000 newspapers in 23 countries, and is translated into 8 languages for a devoted readership of more than 220 million. The strip boasts a lively Web presence at www.fborfw.com. Inside Something Old, Something New, award-winning For Better of For Worse cartoonist Lynn Johnston takes readers to a place where Dad makes mental notes because he can’t read his own handwriting, Mom can’t get sick because she doesn’t have the time, and too much quiet from the kids can only mean disaster is about to strike. In 2008, Johnston made an unprecedented move within the cartooning community by deciding to use former plotlines as starting points for new ones. To this end, Something Old, Something New features storylines from the strip’s first three cartoon collections—I’ve Got the One-More-Washload Blues . . . , Is This “One of Those Days,” Daddy?, and more than a month of Sundays with entirely new cartoons and full-color Sundays. Something Old, Something New follows John and Elly back to where it all began as

Inside Something Old, Something New, award-winning For Better or For Worse cartoonist Lynn Johnston takes readers to a place where Dad makes mental notes because he can't read his own handwriting, Mom can't get sick because she doesn't have the time, and too much quiet from the kids can only mean disaster is about to strike.

In 2008, Johnston made an unprecedented move within the cartooning community by deciding to use former plotlines as starting points for new ones. To this end, Something Old, Something New features storylines from the strip's first three cartoon collections--I've Got the One-More-Washload Blues . . . , Is This "One of Those Days," Daddy?, and "It Must Be Nice to Be Little"--with entirely new cartoons and full-color Sundays.

Something Old, Something New follows John and Elly back to where it all began as Michael prepares for his first day of kindergarten, Elly returns to school trying to get her English degree, the family adopts Mrs. Baird's sheepdog, a.k.a. Farley, Elizabeth grows from baby to toddler, and despite her best efforts, Elly can do nothing to treat John's hopelessly incurable fashion sense.

It takes a keen eye to recognize life's shared experiences and an even keener intellect to assemble those moments in a humorous and heartfelt way. With For Better or For Worse, Johnston elevates everyday aspects of life into brilliant observations on personal career goals, parenting choices, and coffee klatch friendships.

Something Old, Something New

$25.99

In 1991, I wanted another baby," writes creator Lynn Johnston. "Since it wasn't possible to do in reality, I made one up! Baby April appeared April 1st of that year and has added a great deal of creative fun to the strip. . . ."

The Pattersons have never exactly been all "sweetness and light." As any For Better or For Worse fan can attest, this entertaining family endures just as many of life's downs as ups, but they always seem to keep moving forward. Now, however, parents Elly and John experience life in all directions as their youngest daughter, April, becomes a teenager!

In true For Better or For Worse style, the best-selling strip examines all the good and bad of "teenagedom," while keeping it in context of the rest of the family's other joys and challenges. Readers will smile knowingly as John and Elly try to decipher teen-speak, deal with their own protective parental tendencies, and struggle to give their maturing daughter the independence she wants and needs. Then just when the wide, wide world of 13-year-olds is at its most intense, everything from fired coworkers to another new grandbaby vie for everyone's attention.

This collection of daily and Sunday strips demonstrates once again that Johnston's ability to intertwine the lives of all her characters with the reader's own is remarkable. She's Turning into One of Them! will have them laughing, crying, and shaking their heads in the best For Better or For Worse fashion. Life? Bring it on!

She's Turning Into One of Them!

$12.99

'The comics pages have no shortage of family strips, but For Better or For Worse distinguished itself from the start. . . . This success can be attributed to Johnston's uncanny ability to see into the heart of daily life so accurately that readers feel she is speaking directly to them."Art imitating life. That's what happens in Lynn Johnston's perennially popular comic strip, For Better or For Worse. By reflecting on her own family and experiences, she created the Pattersons: Elly, John, Michael, Elizabeth, and April, along with grandparents, grandchildren, friends, and coworkers and the everyday situations they deal with.

In Never Wink at a Worried Woman, life is progressing for each character. Elly and John tenuously think of retirement while still being preoccupied parents of a preteen. Michael and Deanna grow into their roles as new parents while Michael's career gets a new boost. Elizabeth takes more steps to adulthood, by beginning her student teaching and facing the fact that Anthony is marrying another. April is racing to turn 13, busy with her band and also helping out at Lilliput's, where she makes a painful discovery about a coworker. Add in Grampa Jim's quest to maintain his aging dignity and baby Meredith's burgeoning curiosity, and you get a full dose of life.

For Better or For Worse has appealed to readers for more than 25 years. It runs in more than 2,000 newspapers in the U.S., Canada, and 20 other countries and is translated into eight languages besides English.

Never Wink at a Worried Woman

$12.99