'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.

For years and years, Lynn Johnston has entertained, enlightened, and educated the world about the delights and disappointments of family life. Her strip is poignant and funny--and very often, universal. She captures a mother's frustration at an unruly teenager, a father's surprise in a growing daughter, and kids' various views about their future as they grow up.

In It's the Thought That Counts, For Better or For Worse looks back on many of the series' high points through Lynn's hand-picked selection of color Sundays: the unexpected birth of baby April in 1991; the daring revelation that teenage family friend Lawrence was gay; the fear that comes with aging parents. The collection also includes those quietly funny moments in families: a father and his kids romping with abandon; a closet full of clothes that no longer span a middle-aged girth; a teenage son's first experience with a crush.

Lynn Johnston fashioned the Patterson family after her own lively brood. Her real life experiences--divorce, childbirth, pets, and parents--show through in her work in the most wise and wonderful ways. Even better, this anniversary book contains Johnston's comments about some of her favorite strips in an amusing and informative narrative.

It was a bleak day when the Patterson's faithful 14-year-old sheep dog, Farley, died while saving young April from a raging river. Across the country, fans who read For Better or For Worse in some 1,600 daily newspapers, reacted with surprise and grief. Since 1979, Johnston has created an affectionate family whose members face real problems with grace and humor. Readers have accompanied Elly and John Patterson through the ears, watching them raise their children, Michael, Elizabeth, and April; commiserating when they dealt with aging parents; wondering how they'd handle a friend's homosexuality. In Remembering Farley, Lynn Johnston shares her favorite selection from the heroic sheep dog's life. This retrospective includes strips from Farley's puppy days to his dying day, scenes that capture the essence of raising and loving a pet. Remembering Farley also contains some new illustrations and quotes from some of the letters sent by his many fans. Remembering Farley is a tender tribute to a dog that many of us felt was our own devoted friend.

  Elly and John Patterson, along with their children Michael, Elizabeth, and April, make up one of the most beloved families in America. The clan from For Better or For Worse is not only recognized, their lives are studied, identified with, and, most of all, treasured for the amusing reflections they provide.

  Perhaps it's seeing part of ourselves in this familial five—something that makes them so endearing. Maybe it's the good old-fashioned values they display. No matter what her secret, creator Lynn Johnston excels, once again, with this collection, Love Just Screws Everything Up, that gives us a chance to grow even closer to the Pattersons and their devoted dog, Edgar.

  This collection of heartwarming and humorous vignettes traces the Pattersons as they toil and traipse through their daily existence—lives much like our own, amplified by Johnson's insightful take on the extraordinarily funny things that happen to ordinary people. For example, we watch as Elly, seemingly stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, uses her cell-phone to call the office—while actually waiting to give her drive-up donut order. Or there's John scolding his girls during a fishing trip for wasting the live bait, only to have a gull grab his next cast in mid-air.

  No matter what their situation, no matter what their challenges, the Pattersons always come through with smiles—at least on their readers' faces. This creative collection, Love Just Screws Everything Up, is sure to captivate all fans of cartooning's first family.

For Better or For Worse reflects universal family feelings so well it's translated from English into eight languages. What makes creator Lynn Johnston's portrayal of the Patterson family and friends so beloved shines once again in The Big 5-0. This book follows the blooming romance of son Michael and his girlfriend, Deanna, daughter Elizabeth's last year in high school, and John, the father, turning 50. The book overflows with the heartwarming and realistic family exchanges that have become For Better or For Worse trademarks.

Never preachy, always informative, and full of laughs, Leaving Home is packed with tried and true nuggets, from tips on finding an apartment to tips on getting your eviction notice reversed, from someone with a sense of humor who's "been there, done that." The reader is walked through essentials such as building a home-grown vacation, "Too Broke to Break?" handling depression, "It Can Get You and You Can Fight Back," and dealing with school and job jitters. Eleven sections are crammed with advice on furnishing apartments, mastering the ancient art of bartering, living with "the boss without a heart, the prof without a clue," and more. It includes such gems as: The Yard Sale -- Your "Vintage Kitchenware Store"; Rules for Roommates: Rent Is Not A Voluntary Contribution; Your Mother Is No Longer the Alarm Clock; The Mail Is Always For You! Leaving Home not only relays how to avoid common pitfalls, but also how to get out after you've landed in them face first! Pearls of wisdom and insightful cartoons make this a must-read for anyone starting life on their own.

Not every kid skips a rock across a pond and winds up with a unicorn best friend, right? The popular friendship of Phoebe and Her Unicorn is back for a third collection of adventures so heavenly they had to be shared.School’s out! That means no more teachers, no more books, and lots of time to compliment Marigold Heavenly Nostrils on her good looks. In this third volume, Phoebe and her obligational best friend, Marigold, learn that summer still has plenty of surprises for the both of them. All of our old friends are back—Phoebe’s part-time “frenemy” Dakota, upon whom Marigold has bestowed sentient hair, Phoebe’s goofy parents, and even Lord Splendid Humility (but please, ignore his magnificence if you can)! Have fun as Phoebe and Marigold continue the “Phoebegold Detective Agency,” spend a week at Wolfgang Music Camp, and find themselves in more misadventures, thanks to Marigold’s enchanted sparkles! Along the way, Phoebe makes some new friends, such as Sue—her unique clarinet-playing bunkmate, Florence Unfortunate Nostrils, Marigold’s estranged sister, and Camp Wolfgang’s lake monster who enjoys tacos and Wi-Fi. When school resumes, read along as Phoebe enjoys (or suffers from) a brief case of popularity, mentally catalogs her grievances against dodge ball, and, with Marigold’s help, rescues Dakota and her hair from the queen of the goblins. Through these wacky adventures, Phoebe and Marigold learn that their friendship is the second most magical thing of all, after Marigold’s beauty, of course. Includes an introduction by Cory Doctorow and his daughter Poesy!

Get ready to be bedazzled! Dana Simpson's Phoebe and Her Unicorn is back with more sparkles than ever! In this fourth volume, join in the adventure as Phoebe and Marigold confront messy rooms, trouble at school, and a nasty case of “Sparkle Fever.” Follow the pair back to Camp Wolfgang, where their old pals Sue (a.k.a. “Monster Girl”) and Ringo, the lake creature, remind them that being weird is WAY more fun than being normal.