Back in August when this newsletter was very, very new, I had a chance to interview new local author Shawn Brook Williams about his new graphic novel Five Pounds & Screaming. You can read that interview in the August 24th newsletter here and find out about his life, inspiration, and what it takes to create a graphic novel. Shawn kindly sent me a copy of Five Pounds & Screaming to read and review for you folks today AND he is offering a free copy to one lucky reader, so see the details of the giveaway at the end of this article.
Five Pounds & Screaming is a graphic novel-- basically a long comic book (142 pages)-- about a young couple and their journey through their first pregnancy. And it is REAL. I found myself nodding, "uh-huh"-ing and giggling all the way through as I recalled our own experiences when my husband and I were expecting our LO. It was also nice to find out that there are other people out there who have gone through some of the same things we did. Here are scans of two pages that really made me laugh-- my favorites! One is about where you will put all the baby stuff and the other is leaving the hospital and wondering how they can just let you leave...
Those of us who have been pregnant are having flashbacks with that big job of sitting down-- and the relief!
That's almost exactly what I said as they let us take that itty-bitty baby home!
I really enjoyed examining Shawn's HAND DRAWN artwork-- there are details in some scenes that I only noticed on my second read. Yes, I read it twice and enjoyed it even more the second time. There are logos on shirts, labels on packages of baby gear, titles on book spines, patterns on walls and clothing, and even tiny flowers in the lawn. One thing I noticed in the dirty dishes scene was that there is actually something plugged into an outlet! There was only one thing that I didn't like about the artwork in this graphic novel-- actually the only thing I didn't like about the novel itself-- and that was the VERY realistic labor scene! LOL. Yikes! Some memories are better off forgotten!
I think this is a fun read for any parents who will see images/reflections of their own lives put to paper. And it's really great for expectant and new DADS because they will find out what's in store that they won't learn in any instruction book! And of course they will also see the happy ending and the love this daddy has for his little girl that made it all worth it!
This will make a great Christmas gift for the expectant parents and parents of small kids on your shopping list! If you would like to order a copy of Five Pounds & Screaming, you can order it here. It's only $15 for a print copy and shipping is free. Or you can get a pdf version for just $2!! Be sure to check out Shawn's blog while you're there and take a look at his other work.
To get your chance to win a copy of Five Pounds & Screaming, leave a comment below about a funny incident with a baby or small child, or just leave a note about why you would like to win a copy. The winner will be chosen by random.org on Nov. 23 at noon and announced in the newsletter that evening (Next week! Act now-- you can't win if you don't enter!)
