Staff Pick
Slip into a black and white world where order reigns supreme and all untidiness must be eradicated. Dave lives a nondescript life in Here until the day an untamable beard sprouts from his chin. Could the beard be a maleficent portal to There? Collins gently addresses the tangles of human existence in this playful graphic fable, perfect for fans of Edward Gorey and Roald Dahl. Recommended By Rhianna W., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
THE JOB OF THE SKIN IS TO KEEP IT ALL IN...
On the island of Here, livin's easy. Conduct is orderly. Lawns are neat. Citizens are clean shaven — and Dave is the most fastidious of them all. Dave is bald, but for a single hair. He loves drawing, his desk job, and the Bangles. But on one fateful day, his life is upended... by an unstoppable (yet pretty impressive) beard.
An off-beat fable worthy of Roald Dahl and Tim Burton, The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil is a darkly funny meditation on life, death, and what it means to be different — and a timeless ode to the art of beard maintenance.
Review
"Slyly exquisite...What happens over the course of the next 200+ pages is a dilemma Roald Dahl would have relished: The roiling anarchy of There erupts on Here — specifically, on poor Dave's previously clean-shaven cheeks — in the form of a great, snarly, twisting, unstoppable beard.…If Collins is right — if, as he says, stories are necessary — then let's hope this wry young writer/artist has got a lot more lies to tell us." Glen Weldon, NPR
Review
"Mysterious and often wryly funny…with precise yet soft illustrations reminiscent of Raymond Briggs. A visually lyrical modern fable that manages to be both utterly unique and eerily recognizable." Library Journal
Review
"Collins illustrations are lush, rounded affairs with voluptuous shading across oblong planes. Expressions pop, from the severe upturn where a sympathetic psychiatrist's brows meet to the befuddlement of a schoolgirl as the beard's hypnotic powers take hold.…Rich, creamy art and playful paneling make for a fun read." Kirkus Reviews
Review
“An amazing book. Completely original. Surreal yet believable.” Raymond Briggs
Review
“It's part satire, part parable, part nursery rhyme, and part disaster movie, and its an utter joy to read.” The Times (London)
Synopsis
NOW A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
The job of the skin is to keep it all in...
On the island of Here, livin's easy. Conduct is orderly. Lawns are neat. Citizens are clean shaven-and Dave is the most fastidious of them all. Dave is bald, but for a single hair. He loves drawing, his desk job, and the Bangles. But on one fateful day, his life is upended...by an unstoppable (yet pretty impressive) beard.
An off-beat fable worthy of Roald Dahl and Tim Burton, Stephen Collins' The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil is a darkly funny meditation on life, death, and what it means to be different--and a timeless ode to the art of beard maintenance.
About the Author
Stephen Collins was born in 1980 and grew up in south London. He began cartooning in 2003, and has since won several awards, including the Jonathan Cape/Observer Graphic Short Story Prize and the inaugural 9th Art Award. His work has appeared in many publications worldwide, including Wired, GQ, and the BBC, and he contributes regular comics to the Guardian Weekend and Prospect magazine. He lives near Hertford with his wife and a well-charged beard trimmer.