A Delicious Indie Assortment:
Strange Planet by Nathan W. Pyle
Imagine a set of cartoon characters who appear to be alien beings but who experience many of the same daily joys and frustrations that we do. Then imagine that these beings are somehow naive and curious AND wise, with complex vocabularies and gentle senses of humor. Pyle’s characters make us aware of the strangeness of many of the things we take for granted on our own planet.
— David, Eagle Harbor Book Company, Bainbridge, WA
Let’s Be Weird Together: A Book About Love by Brooke Barker Boaz Frankel
Love is both weird and awesome! Fans of Strange Planet will appreciate this quirky comic book, a celebration of the historical, hysterical, and ultimately deeply human experience of romantic relationships. Find out about strange love-related laws, traditional and non-traditional tokens of affection, scientific facts about animal attraction, and anecdotes from the actual co-author couple. Being in love: because you know you’ve waited all year for paired Halloween costumes, that love makes long car rides more fun, and that assembling Ikea furniture together is a rite of passage.
— Marissa, Grass Roots Books & Music, Corvallis, OR
[Yes, if you’re reading all the posts this week, this book is already familiar!]
The Imaginaries: Little Scraps of Larger Stories by Emily Winfield Martin
Lose yourself in magic, whimsy, and imagination. This gorgeous picture book could be the starting point for a fun activity for readers of any age: Turn the page, look at the art, read the snippet of text provided, and tell your own version of the story behind the image.
You could definitely bring this book to a wine bar or coffee shop as a conversation starter. I think this would be so romantic to do together! Try it with your Valentine.
–Tegan, Queen Anne Book Company, Seattle, WA
Last but not least…
This is my favorite gift at the moment. A pint glass etched with a map of Spokane AND Theo “beer” chocolates. The flavors are as follows:
1. Immersion Amber Peanut Caramel (Two Beers Brewing)
2. Dark Star Imperial Stout Marshmallow (Fremont Brewing)
3. Hazealicious IPA Pate de Fruit (Reuben’s Brews) and
4. Bodhizafa IPA Syrup Confection (Georgetown Brewing).
I’d probably hurry in before they disappear.
–Janelle, Wishing Tree Books, Spokane, WA
Do you have some clever Valentine’s gift ideas to share? What is your bookstore love language?