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!

FoxTrot is character driven, as opposed to silly situation or slapstick humor. It is one of the most entertaining comic strips in America.

Meet the Fox family:

*  Roger, the sports-enthusiast father stuck in the middle rung of the corporate ladder.

*Andy, mother and mediator of the family. Always wanted lots of kids. Now knows better. Her gourmet specialty?-tofu casserole.

* Peter has never known a food he couldn't eat, but otherwise is a typical high schooler. Inherited the sports nut gene from Roger.

* Paige. Egads, a freshman! Mall rat, Cosmo queen. Knows full well Mr. Right is right around the corner . . . or the next one . . . or the next.

* Jason is the youngest sibling. This warped little genius' favorite pastimes include tormenting his sister and get-rich-quick schemes.

* And finally, Quincy, Jason's iguana. Vomits on Paige's pillow when not sleeping or eating. What more could a 10 year old boy ask for?

FoxTrot is a hugely popular comic strip, with twenty-three successful collections and nine treasuries. Appearing in over 1000 newspapers, three million FoxTrot books are in circulation. Jam-Packed FoxTrot features strips from Orlando Bloom Has Ruined Everything, My Hot Dog Went Out, Can I Have Another?, and How Come I'm Always Luigi?

Creator Pat Brady received the 2004 Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year from the National Cartoonists Society. He's previously been honored as a nominee for the award seven times, and Rose is Rose has been nominated five times for the Society's Best Newspaper Comic Strip Award.

Rose is Rose has long garnered attention from fans across the country and around the world. When the National Cartoonists Society named Rose creator Pat Brady Outstanding Cartoonist of 2004 it only confirmed what those readers already knew in their hearts: Brady rolls out one of the best strips in the business.

Red Carpet Rose is Brady's first book since he received the NCS honors. As the seven previous Rose is Rose books have done before, this one continues the tales of the hilarious Gumbo family: Rose, her husband, Jimbo, and their devilish, delightful, and demanding son, Pasquale. Brady deftly captures the innocent and ageless qualities of wonder and awe at the world's boundless experiences, as seen through the lives of his beloved characters.

Whether the Gumbos are sharing a simple family moment in the park, Pasquale is pushing his little-boy limits, or Rose is morphing into her Biker Chic alter ego, this Rose is Rose compilation of daily and Sunday strips delivers all the fun, laughter, and family-loving moments that mark Brady's work. This is cartooning at its best!

"Ziggy must be part of me, because he feels as if he's been with me all my life." --Tom Wilson

No matter where you are, no matter what's going on in your life, Ziggy has been there. For the past 35 years, readers around the world have picked up newspapers, opened greeting card envelopes, or caught sight of T-shirts and there's Ziggy, unfailingly showing how to appreciate life and find the silver lining in any cloud. 

Tom Wilson's character--an admirable mix of Ben Franklin, Dale Carnegie, and Forrest Gump all rolled into a little bald icon--strikes a chord in everyone. And that's why so many will cherish A Little Character Goes a Long Way, a celebration of Ziggy himself. After all, it's the character of this character that's earned Ziggy such a special place in our hearts.

This treasury includes many classic Ziggy frames and strips, each highlighting the traits that make Ziggy the upbeat, hopeful, and unflappable optimist that he is. There's Ziggy generally making molehills and wrinkles out of life's highest mountains and lowest valleys; Ziggy and his menagerie of pets; and Ziggy taking the time to appreciate nature's beauty at its best. This little Everyperson reminds us all of what's really important, and this treasury will undoubtedly do the same.

Over the years, Garfield the cat has struck a chord with readers who can identify with his laidback, shall-we-say-lazy approach to life. The famous feline--whose passion for food and sleep is matched only by his aversion to diet and exercise (he prefers lie-downs to sit-ups)--has become the poster cat for all kinds of people, none of whom would ever describe themselves as "Type A's."

To celebrate being the world's favorite feline, Garfield introduces I'm in the Mood for Food: In the Kitchen with Garfield.

Chock-full of tasty recipes, the cookbook also features spot art and food-related Garfield comics in color. I'm in the Mood for Food includes chapters on Family Food, Party Food, Pasta, Outdoor Cooking, Kids' Recipes, Snacks, and Desserts. Consider some of these mouth-watering morsels: Lazy Cat's Lasagna, Color Me Hungry Red Pepper Potato Frittata, Royal Roasted Lemon-Herb Chicken and I'd Rather Be Happy Than Thin Chocolate-Chunk Cookies. All in all, I'm in the Mood for Food will appeal to cooks everywhere, especially those who love Garfield and, like him, believe that the best things in life are edible.

"Ziggy must be a part of me, because he feels as if he's been with me all my life.

Whether it's snowmen, turkey legs, Christmas trees, or shopping, you can bet Ziggy will have something to say about it. You can also depend on this little bit of Everyperson to spin out a homespun philosophy that leaves you smiling, shaking your head just a bit, and saying, "You know, he's got something there." That's what makes Tom Wilson's Ziggy a hit with the 75 million readers who see the panel in more than 600 Sunday and daily newspapers around the world. And it's what promises to make Ziggy's Gift a memorable way to celebrate the holidays.

Honoring the re-release of the movie Ziggy's Gift on DVD, this holiday-themed cartoon collection is the answer for any shopper looking for just the right combination of humor, warmth, and thoughtfulness. Ziggy is so approachable and easy to read, recipients won't be able to stop once they begin paging through the book.

This holiday season, Ziggy is bringing with him a Christmas gift that will capture and warm the hearts of everyone. Ziggy's instantly recognizable persona fosters a built-in confidence among buyers who feel they know the character and feel comfortable giving this collection as a gift. Ziggy and the holidays are made for each other!

Animation Festival Selects Ziggy's Gift as Feature Film

'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.

"When things go wrong and life throws you a curve, and some curves are a little larger than others, Ziggy handles it. He takes it on the chin and keeps on going." --Cincinnati Magazine

Ziggy has appeared in far more places than the newspapers that enthusiastically carry his visage. The lovable loser is taped to computers, pinned on office bulletin boards, and magnetized to refrigerator doors. He's carried in wallets, sent to friends and relatives, and stuck to bathroom mirrors. In a word, Ziggy is everywhere!

Such is the appeal of one of America's favorite pop icons. And Ziggy fans worldwide have the chance to see their old friend through the pages of The First 25 Years Are the Hardest! , a retrospective of some of Ziggy's best moments.

There's a confused little guy talking with his psychiatrist, ruminating at the bathroom mirror, and commiserating with his talking parrot. There's Ziggy at Mom's Diner, Ziggy addressing the heavens, and very often, Ziggy looking straight into the eye of his reader while dispensing such wisdom as, "Today is a first; That's why it's called 'The Present.'"

Ziggy speaks to everyone who's suffered a bad day, slipped up now and then, or spent time slogging through the rain showers of life. This book, commemorating Ziggy's 25th anniversary in the hearts and minds of the world, is filled with Tom Wilson's hand-picked favorite frames, those "you-can-say-that-again" triggers that always bring Ziggy fans back for more.

For the past thirty years, Ziggy and his band of merry friends have offered their daily dose of optimism to more than 75 million faithful readers who identify with the characters' hopes and insecurities. Ziggy, who relates better to his animal friends than he does to people, always manages to find the bright spot, inspiring us to do the same.In this special 30th anniversary edition, Ziggy's friends pay tribute to the quintessential little guy in a large world, the lovable character with the big head and the generous heart. Together they take a nostalgic stroll down memory lane, touching on their favorite times with Ziggy. Complete with a timeline documenting milestones in Zig's life, Ziggy's Friends for Life is a must-read for fans and collectors alike!

Rose is Rose presents the extraordinary nature of everyday life as seen through the eyes of the Gumbo family. The strip stars child-at-heart Rose and her ASD (Attentiveness Surplus Disorder) husband Jimbo. Their gentle son Pasquale is watched over by his Guardian Angel who morphs from tiny cherub into gargantuan protector. Family kitten Peekaboo boasts that her humans are the cutest in town. Readers relish the romance in Rose and Jimbo's marriage, yet cheer the emergence of Rose's rebel alter ego, the fearless, wild and ready-to-roll Vicki the Biker.

Rose is Rose presents the extraordinary nature of everyday life as seen through the eyes of the Gumbo family. The strip stars child-at-heart Rose and her ASD (Attentiveness Surplus Disorder) husband Jimbo. Their gentle son Pasquale is watched over by his Guardian Angel who morphs from tiny cherub into gargantuan protector. Family kitten Peekaboo boasts that her humans are the cutest in town. Readers relish the romance in Rose and Jimbo's marriage, yet cheer the emergence of Rose's rebel alter ego, the fearless, wild and ready-to-roll Vicki the Biker.