Patrick McDonnell possesses an elegance of line and narrative that both transcends and defines his medium. His artistry is in his Zen-like clarity, his simple direct address, and his unique understanding of the essential animal-human continuum. When one experiences MUTTS, one experiences genius." -Alice Sebold, author of The Lovely Bones

"Dog-Eared"is exactly what this latest collection from cartoonist Patrick McDonnell is destined to become. The brilliant assortment of simple-yet-complex strips will have readers turning its pages again and again, eager to revisit the charm, truth, and humor found within.

McDonnell's strip, highlights the adventures of Earl the dog and Mooch the cat, best buddies who regularly come in contact with Shtinky Puddin', Sourpuss, Guard Dog, and Crabby-as well as an assortment of whimsically rendered humans. This cast is capable of endless antics, interspersed with poignant views on both the animal and human condition. And whether they're raiding garbage cans or basking in full-frontal belly rubs, Mooch and Earl always have a comment to clinch the scene.

MUTTS is the kind of strip that comic readers find irresistible. "Dog-Eared" is the same kind of collection. One strip leads to another, and before you know it you've turned page after dog-eared page to satisfy a growing MUTTS addiction.

  "MUTTS is the real thing, a comic strip that can touch, amuse and astound all at the same time."—Riverfront Times

  The comic strip MUTTS has won the National Cartoonists Society's coveted Comic Strip of the Year Award, and its author, Patrick McDonnell, has earned the NCS's Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year Award.

What Now? chronicles the humorous happenings of Earl the dog and his feline friend Mooch. As usual, the endearing pair can be counted on for laughs and charming adventures. In this collection, Mooch professes his love . . . for a little pink sock.

"How can I take you seriously with a little pink sock in your mouth?" asks Earl."This from a guy who wears a 'Shnoopy' collar," retorts Mooch.

Mooch's affection for his sock is so deep, he sings little songs about it. But the love affair comes to an abrupt end when his pal Earl buries it to try to end the obsession. Fortunately for Mooch, socks come in pairs, and he's soon reunited with "its twin sister."

  Earl and Mooch put their comic spin on a wide range of subjects, from napping and poetry to summer vacations and Christmas anticipations. Interspersed with its charming humor are more weighty messages on issues important to McDonnell, such as animal shelters, saving our endangered species, and other animal-protection topics.

What Now? delivers creative style and the charm of yesteryear unlike any other strip on the funny pages today.

The National Cartoonists Society nominated Pearls Before Swine as one of the best comic strips of 2002.

Pearls Before Swine is an impressive comic strip success story. After only a few years of syndication, it appears in more than 150 newspapers worldwide, was nominated as Best Newspaper Comic Strip by the National Cartoonists Society in its debut year-an unprecedented achievement-and its first book collection, Pearls Before Swine, has sold through four printings.

This Little Piggy Stayed Home continues the adventures of Rat and Pig, two characters who couldn't be more different-or more surprising. Rat is your typical Every Rodent: scheming, self-centered, and more than occasionally manipulative. By contrast, Pig is sensitive, kind, and-even on his best days-just plain stupid. Together with Zebra and Goat, they confront the strange and wonderful world around them, a place that looks suspiciously like our own.

By turns thoughtful and subversive, silly and sophisticated, This Little Piggy Stayed Home is one of the funniest comic collections out there.

You have to wonder what kind of pets cartoonist Darby Conley had as a child. If they were anything like Bucky Katt and Satchel Pooch. . . well, life in the Conley house must have been interesting to say the least. The wacky triumvirate of Bucky, Satchel, and Rob are back in this Get Fuzzy collection,

Rob Wilco is the mild-mannered ad executive caretaker of Bucky and Satchel. Satchel is a sweet and naïve shar-pei-yellow-Lab cross, while Bucky is a Siamese with "cat-titude" to spare. Bucky and Satchel get along like, well, like cats and dogs. Like a beleaguered parent, Rob constantly must thwart Bucky's schemes and protect the unsuspecting Satchel. His pets' mischief continually disrupts his attempts to meet women. You try explaining to your date why your cat thinks he's a gangsta rapper and your dog is filming his ";crib" for MTV. Would anyone live with humans who behaved like this?

Bitingly funny with a wry sense of the absurdity of life with pets, Get Fuzzy appeals to everyone who has ever lived in a mixed-species household.