Zombie Gnome Defence by Shaenon K. Garrity and Andrew Farago With this book I think it’s safe to say that the zombie thing has gone too far. I mean, zombie gnomes? That’s ridiculous! What sort of person would be interested in something like that? (apart from me obviously). Funny and odd, this is the perfect book for the zombie fan who thinks they’ve seen it all.
I Spy The Illuminati Eye by Sheila Keenan Some would tell you that the shadowy tendrils of the Illuminati wind through everything, and that for reasons no-one seems to be able to explain they also like to leave clues that defeat the purpose of being secret in the first place. This tongue-in-cheek book goes through some thoughts on the subject in general and explores some famous examples. Odd, but fun.
The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy 20th Anniversary Edition by Tim Burton A collection of rhymes with a peculiar cast of characters that could only have come from the mind of Tim Burton, like stick boy, the pin cushion queen and the girl with many eyes. Illustrated by Burton as well, this is for folks who like their humour dark and a bit wrong.
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, I Know Exactly What You Are by Julia Kregenow Bring science into the nursery with this updated version of the traditional rhyme. Each stanza has a little science fact about stars and the night sky and is accompanied by very cool illustrations. This is great for kids of all ages and I think it’s more fun than the original.
Everyone’s An Aliebn by Jomny Sun A compilation of the webcomic about a little alien (who doesn’t spell very well) who visits Earth to learn about humans. It’s clever, charming and sweet and in it the alien engages with ideas like hope and despair, self image, love, friendship and art. Both sincere and whimsical, one little alien manages to sum up he human experience and leave you with a smile.
Cunk on Everything by Philomena Cunk Created by comedian Diane Morgan, Philomena Cunk is well known to UK television viewers. She travels the country finding out about things and sharing that with her viewers. She also asks famous science people questions, and famous people science questions. With varied subjects and an encyclopaedia-like layout, it tells you lots about things. One for absurdist humour fans.
A Die Hard Christmas by Doogie Horner A clever if somewhat violent retelling of the classic T’was the Night Before Christmas with a Die Hard theme. And for the curious it does have that memorable line, so I’d avoid reading it to children unless you’re keen on never being invited back.
Behind You by Brian Coldrick A quirky and creepy collection of short stories, not an unusual idea for a book. But in this one, each story is told using one full page picture and single line of text. The result is surprisingly effective, making this a very good, if unconventional book for fans of the macabre.
Seeing Stars by Sara Gillingham An all ages guide to the night sky that will not only tell you where and when to look to find the 88 best known constellations, but also tells you a bit about their history and the legends associated with them.
History of the World According To Facebook A collection of famous historical events, people and places rendered as Facebook comments and statuses. Unlike actual Facebook, this has a quite high ratio of funny and clever.
Star Wars: Be More Vader. Creative Thinking From The Dark Side A pocket sized motivational guide, geared to the modern workplace. Inside you’ll find all sorts of useful advice from the Empire’s most successful leaders. Time to unlock your true potential and find your authentic sith!