Title: Sober Stick Figure: A Memoir
Author: Amber Tozer
Publisher: Running Press
Publication Date: May 31, 2016
Length: 272 Pages
About The Author
Amber Tozer is a stand-up comedian and comedy writer.
One Day At a Time
This is a memoir of a young woman's struggle with addiction and recovery.
The book is illustrated with simple stick figures drawn by the author.
My Thoughts
This book begins with the following words;
"This is a dark and funny story about alcoholism. I hope it helps anyone who needs it."
I like this book. It informs, enlightens and entertains the reader.
Amber Tozer grew up in a dysfunctional family with an alcoholic father and codependent mother. It is no surprise that she began drinking at a young age.
The problem was, she did not realize that her drinking was a problem until her life was spinning out of control and she was on the verge of despair.
After seven years of binge drinking and destructive relationships, Amber finally admitted that she was an alcoholic and needed help. This decision changed everything.
The stick figure illustrations really cracked me up. Ms. Tozer has the ability to keep the reader laughing even through the most heartbreaking and tragic situations.
I believe this book will be very beneficial to anyone wanting to learn about the devastation that alcohol (or any drug addiction) can have on an individual. This book contains profanity (including some F bombs), so I recommend it for adult readers.
MY RATING: 5 Stars Out Of 5
FYI - I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.
Snow Man Is My Friend, written and illustrated by Steven Novak, is a poignant picture book about a lonely young boy and his quest for comfort and companionship. The boy is the son of an alcoholic father and an emotionally unavailable mother. He feels alone even when surrounded by others. The snow man understands.
Many children will understand this boy's plight. This is an excellent book to introduce children to the problem of substance abuse in the family.
About the Author
Born in Chicago Illinois, Steven Novak has spent the whole of his life
creating. After attending The Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus
Ohio for four years he moved to California where he married his wife, Tamara.
While working as a freelance
illustrator and graphic artist, he produced several successful blogs and began
to slowly piece together the story that would eventually become "Forts." His
work can be found online at www.novakillustration.com
A Sad and Lonely Boy
This is a story about a boy named Jacob who lives in a dysfunctional family. His father drinks and his mother stays in her room and cries. He feels lonely and hopeless, even when he is surrounded by children at school.
One cold winter night, Jacob runs away from home. He runs through the snowy forest and stops to notice the quietness of the trees and the frozen water in the lake. He is cold but he doesn't mind the cold. He rolls one ball of snow and then another and still another.
Jacob makes a snow man and shares the secrets of his heart with his new best friend. The snow man listens and does not judge. Jacob needed a sympathetic friend and he found one in the most unlikely place.
My Thoughts
I can only think of one word to describe this ebook: SPLENDID!!!
Mr. Novak has done an amazing job portraying the emotions and feelings of the boy in this story. The black-and-white illustrations complement the text and add in-depth emotion to the story. I love the close-up illustration of Jacob's face with such a sad, lonely look. A picture is truly worth a thousand words.
The first word of each line of text is in bold print. I think this adds more drama and emotion to the story. The formatting is very professional and the story has a great flow from text to illustration.
The subject of substance abuse in the family is often swept under the rug. I am very grateful to Mr. Novak for writing this top-notch children's book. I am giving the book a 5 STAR RATING, but I wish I could give it more. Excellent choice for children of all ages.
FYI ~ I ordered this ebook from Amazon.Com when it was offered as a free digital download. Please check the price before ordering.
Pease share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.
