Fowl Language
Welcome to Parenting
by Brian Gordon
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
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Pub Date Mar 22 2016 | Archive Date Mar 31 2016
Description
Parenting can be a magical journey full of bliss and wonder . . . if you're on the right meds. For the rest of us, it's another thing altogether. Fowl Language Comics takes an unvarnished look at the tedium and aggravation of parenting, while never forgetting that the reason we put up with those little jerks is that we love them so damn much. By poking fun at the daily struggles parents face, these cartoons help all of us feel less alone in our continual struggle to stay sane.
Brian Gordon, creator of Fowl Language Comics, has two small children of his own and knows well the trials and tribulations that go along with raising them. With more than eighteen years of experience in humorous illustration, writing, and cartooning, Brian's visual point of view is memorable, authentic, and instantly recognizable. From Brian: "They say 'write what you know.' Well, I don’t know much, but I do know what it’s like to be the father of two brilliant, beautiful, bat-shit-crazy kids."
A Note From the Publisher
We regret that this electronic galley is not available for Kindle viewing. The finished book will be available in print and ebook formats.
Available Editions
EDITION | Other Format |
ISBN | 9781449479671 |
PRICE | $14.99 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Everyone that decides to have children is at one point and time a new parent. This book should probably be handed out from the hospital as you leave.
This guy knows the real truth about the little ones that those other baby books never tell you.
Sometimes they are worth it.
Most of this book can be found online. But so what? These comics are cute as crap and it would make a great gift. Totally four stars.
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.
I have seen these comics floating around the internet and have enjoyed them. When I saw that there was a whole book of this comic, I knew that I had to take a look. A lot of the comics featured in this book were the same ones that I had seen online but I thought that this was such a fun little book of comics.
The thing that I love about this comic is that not only are they funny, they are easy to relate to. I have kids and I could see myself on just about every single page in this book. My youngest is in high school so I am at the point in my life where I am not dealing with some of these issues anymore but I will never forget what it was like when they were younger. Don't get me wrong - My children are still frustrating but in different ways now that they are older.
I highly recommend this book to all parents or really anyone who has spent a lot of time with young kids. I think that this book would be a wonderful gift for parents of toddlers who probably need a good laugh. I will definitely be on the look out for future installments of this comic strip.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Andrews McMeel Publishing via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
I don't have children yet myself but I have a lot of friend that do and some of these comments I have heard from them - I laughed with this book, it was great - and its let me know exactly what we'll be letting ourselves in for - a fab read!!
This book was an absolutely delightful read. I found myself laughing at nearly every page, calling my husband into the room several times to read with me. We ended up reminiscing about several parental moments that live in infamy in our household....walls smeared with baby poo, a toddler running naked through a family barbeque.... Every parent has similar experiences. These cartoons would be enjoyed by parents and grandparents of any age. The book would also be a great gift for first time parents-to-be. They need some sort of warning about what's ahead! :) Kudos to Brian Gordon for a delightful, witty and artistic expression of what parents go through! Wonderful book!!
Fowl Language by Brian Gordon is a very funny book that expresses what all of us parents feel at one time or another but won't say it out loud. It is zany, true, delightful, and needs to be in every home for stress relief. The cartoons have such wonderful expressions and the art tells it all without any words needed. I giggled many times through out this book This guy has a gift of hitting the issue and using his talent just right. Issues in the book include eating, bedtime, travel, gaming, dressing, shopping, and so much more. This would be perfect for the new parent or the grandparent. It is funny, period. I received this book for a honest review from NetGalley and it in no way effected my rating or review content.
IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE IT'S TRUE!! All of it. I have a 3 year old and 2 year old at home and I laughed throughout not just because Brian Gordon can tell a whole hilarious story in one frame but because I feel his pain. And it's reassuring to know that I'm not the only one. Thank you for that!
Obviously, this isn't a book I would share with my students but definitely one I would hand to friends, family, coworkers who are parents.
These comics range from humorously true, to frighteningly true, to disturbingly true.
If you’re a parent of kids of any age, you've lived through most of this.
I have to say, I laughed pretty loudly at several of these. There were many others that made me nod sagely.
I couldn't relate to every single panel - but when I could, it completely depicted something I had endured.
Worth reading. Especially if you’re a parent.
Some funny cartoons about being the father/parent of small children. Nice gift for a father to be.since there aren't tons of books from the perspective of the hipster father and young kids. They are all ducks by the way.
I loved this book, it made me laugh and then laugh some more. As I was reading, I identified with almost all of the pages. As the parent of two grown children, I see my children experiencing the same things I went through with their children. I definitely agree with the comment in the book description about giving this book at baby showers. I think it would be greatly appreciated to see that other parents went through what you will go through soon. The page that really hit home with me was the one that said, "I feel so bad when my kids get a cold. All they want to do is snuggle, watch TV and sleep. Actually, I take that back, it's kind of awesome." A great humorous way to look at parenthood.
Excellent. The author's take on parenthood is spot on. I loved the humor and insight.
Fun fun fun.
I don't even have kids, yet these hilarious comics are all too familiar when playing auntie with my niece and nephew.
I've seen a few of these before, it is the web after all, but to have a whole book filled with them is comedy hour!
Pro of being an aunt, I can tell them a whole lot more of crap than their parents can.
Also, I have given them (cheap) instruments as gifts, lots!, so they can mesmerize their parents with their talent. I know, I'm such a thoughtful person.
Brian Gordon nails being a parent (or aunt) with his deadpan humor. A book to have around the house when you are in need of a little pick-me-up after the kids have exhausted you.
Review copy supplied by publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a rating and/or review.
Hilarious, true to life parenting in a cartoon strip. Every parent of toddlers, parents to be and even grandparents should read it.!
Okay, seriously? Can I only give this one 5 stars? That's not fair! This collection of cartoons by Brian Gordon is absolutely laugh-out-loud funny. He takes us to the dark side (and the brighter side!) of parenting. Any parent or grandparent who doesn't see themselves in this book, well, in the words of Brian Gordon, is a big fat liar. One warning -- although some of these cartoons would probably make kids laugh too, this is a book for grown-ups. Gordon does use language you probably don't want to explain to your toddler, including the f-word, the s-word and more. But this was one of the most refreshingly honest looks at the trials and tribulations and joys of raising kids that I have seen in years. Buy this book for parents you know and for those who don't know what they're in for!
I loved this book! Fowl Language is a web comic that laments the hardships of parenting. Very funny but definitely from an adult perspective and containing adult language (if the title didn't tip you off).
Give this book to a new parent with a hot meal, some Advil, a silent nod, and look of solidarity that says, "I get it."
Brian Gordon launched the Fowl Language comic not even three years ago, but it has recently exploded. I'm not a religious follower of his pages, but I've seen his stuff everywhere on social media. In fact, I had already seen some of these specific comics online before hearing about the book, Gordon's first published collection. Even so, I still really enjoyed the hour I spent checking out the funny illustrations included within.
Gordon's comics find the humor in the exasperation and exhaustion of parenting small children. Why ducks? Who knows. But it works and all parents can surely relate. The book is not for the language-sensitive (in case you didn't pick up on that from the punny title). And I probably wouldn't give this one at a baby shower, unless you want to scare the new parents before they even get started. But once they enter into those early toddler years, I'd say gifting this book is fair game. I'm a sucker for a good webcomic and I plan to keep up with Fowl Language from now on.
This book is hysterical, and as a new parent, completely relatable.
Fowl Language: I Used to Be Cool and Do Cool Things is very funny, lighthearted and easy to read. It will make parents feel better for not being perfect and it will let them know they are not alone.
So hang in there!
I just finished reading Fowl Language: Welcome to Parenting by Brian Gordon. It is so funny! I've seen some of these comics on the internet and have loved them so when I saw that it is a Read Now book on NetGalley I had to try it out. This is a super quick read with plenty of laughs. So many of the situations looked very familiar!
As a word of caution, there are a few f words in there and other swear words.
I received an ARC of this book in NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A collection from a comic strip about an anthropomorphized family of ducks, with the father having trouble raising the kiddies, or ducklings.
This book is funny right from the intro, where after talking to other parents the author realizes that he is in fact the only one having doubts about their ability to raise a child; it wasn’t till he stared this strip that he grasped something the baby could have told him: “A lot of people are big fat liars!”
There’s some hilarious stuff that doesn’t need anything more said about it here. Then there’s some jokes that don’t hit you right away; it takes a couple of seconds for the humor to detonate. The good thing is that the LOL per page ratio is pretty high, as a lot of these get more than just a smile or a chuckle. There’s even a nice dig on Star Wars. The art work is serviceable, good enough without getting in the way of the humorous writing, which is really the important part.
4.5 pushed up to 5/5
I was familiar with Fowl Language on Facebook and have enjoyed reading Gordon's comics. I was aware that he had a book coming out and I was happy for a chance to read it. I do not have children of my own, but I work with small children and have been around family and friend's children enough to find Fowl Language hilarious! Gordon perfectly captures the humor and love that comes with raising children.
There is some foul language in Fowl Language, so be prepared. I didn't see much in the book that wasn't on the Fowl Language Facebook page, but the comics are just as funny in book format as they are on Facebook. Foul Language is a perfect read for those who enjoy Darth Vader and Son, Darth Vader's Little Princess and Kids are Weird.
Your parenting pain in comics (5 stars)
Being a parent is awesome...ly difficult. Fortunately, there are millions of people out there who know your pain. Be it the epic saga of trying to get a toddler to eat or the nights and days of sleeplessness and diaper blow-outs, you are far from alone. Even better, all of your struggles can be pretty funny when you think about it.
It's been a while since I picked up a humor book that gave me genuine chuckles from cover to cover. Fowl Language comics have crossed my social media feeds plenty of times but this collected tome has some of my favorites and reminded me that we're all just trying to keep our spawn alive and thriving. Sometimes even asking for the latter is a stretch. But a good dose of humor about it can make it the one job you'll look back on fondly... in another 18 years anyway.
If you're a parent or know a parent-to-be I recommend you pick this one up and share the laughs. Makes a great baby shower gift! Loved it!
I laughed multiple times flipping through this book. Mr. Gordon portrays parenting in a clever way that, although I am not a parent, I can sympathize and chuckle. I never knew ducks could be so expressive. I plan on purchasing this book for my friends with children. I would love to see future books by Mr. Gordon.
I have been follwing Brain's very funny takes on parenting, despite the fact that my daughter is grown and gone. Some things are universal and forever, and the slice of life that he talks about take me back to when my daughter was young, and I laugh just the same. As he says on the back of the book, this book is for everyone, except if you don't have kids, and in that case you should just "sleep in this weekend"
Hilarious! Laugh out loud moments throughout the whole book.
This is again a comic that I’ve seen a lot on the internet.I’ve seen the fowl language comics through the website, but I hadn’t read them all. I have to say this is one that is so awesome and funny. I had been laughing out loud thought the book. I think despite being a book about parenting, this book can be enjoyed be everyone. I’m nowhere near being a parent but I can bet that most of us at some time or the other think about these. It’s really hilarious. I recommend it to anyone who loves comics, or simply having a laugh.
An entertaining look at parenting and expectations of parenting. Love the graphics and content.
As a parent of a 1-year old, when I read about Fowl Language on Buzzfeed and Huffpost, I instantly began stalking these comics - I looked through their instagram account. When I saw this book being offered, the first thing I did was request. This book is the perfect gift for new parents or just having next to the nursing chair to read LATE at night, knowing that there are other parents probably doing the same thing. There are two things I wish: I wish there were more and I wish that they were organized by age/children's stages.
Love these cartoons - so funny and scenarios all parents will relate to!
When you first find out that you are going to be a parent, most people are ecstatic. They have visions of becoming the perfect family and think that since they have read multiple parenting books they are fully prepared. Ha! They Wish!
It's only after they get their "little bundle of joy" home, that they realize that parenting is not as easy as they had thought.
As the child (or children) grow, parents are faced with hundreds (if not thousands) of situations that we're definitely NOT covered in any parenting book.
Comic Creator and Illustrator, Brian Gordon has taken his parenting experiences and created hilarious (and true to life) comics. Those comics are now available in this amazingly funny book.
My children are no longer little. However I still vividly remember them being babies and as small children, so I can relate to every comic included in this hilarious collection.
The comic that I loved the most, and that I actually laughed out loud to, is titled:
"Returning To Work After A Long Weekend." It consists of 2 panels; one titled "PEOPLE WITH NO KIDS" and the other "PARENTS OF SMALL CHILDREN." Both panels show an employee stepping off an elevator to go back to work.
The employee without children looks tired and his eyes are downcast as he says: "Ugh... This plus, again?"
In comparison the employee who is the parent of small children is jumping for joy, singing out "Helllloooo, Work!!!" He is obviously ecstatic to have some time without the kids. Boy, can I relate to that feeling. Sometimes work was the only place you could go to get some time to just relax for a few minutes.
Any parent who cannot relate to the comics in this book is either lying to themselves or is a from a town named Stepford.
Brian Gordon has taken all the joy and all the frustrations of parenthood and used those unforgettable moments to create a wickedly funny collection of comics for grownups. It is the perfect antidote to a stress-filled day dealing with your children.
I think that this would make the perfect gift for anyone who has kids, whether they are still young or have already grown up and moved out on their own. Either way, the recipient is guaranteed some chuckles and even a few all-out 'belly-laughs'. It is because of this that I feel that this book deserves a rating of 5 out of 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I'm a huge fan of Brian's humor and this book did not disappoint.
Parenting struggles as demonstrated through a duck. It's great for a quick read or a hilarious coffee table book to laugh with friends.
This had some illustrations that made me chuckle, it would make a nice present to parents to be!
Absolutely the funniest book I have read in quite a while. This duck dad has captured the frustrations and joys of parenting in the most hilarious way!
Even though I don't have kids of my own, I still really enjoyed this..
Having babysat for my sis and after having heard all the stories from my sister and other fam members and friends I could totally recall similar experiences...
A fun book with a reading experience that is surely different but isnt at the same time...
I think everyone should read this. Cos these are just comics with good drawing that draws you in and most of them will make you chuckle or laugh out loud...
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this reading experience.
I had a blast reading this book. I don’t have my own kids, but a lot of children visit us after school at the library, and I’ve had some of the exact same experiences with them. Also, these are some of the reasons I fear having my own kids. What a wonderful sense of humor!
This book is absolutely hilarious. Even if you havent personally experienced most of the scenarios personally, you will know someone who has. It is laugh out loud funny.
Clever and fun. Brian Gordon is a delight to follow on social media for everyday parenting wake-up-calls. Reading Gordon's work in one sitting in a cohesive book delivers a whole new way to appreciate his insights.
I've followed Fowl Language on social media for quite some time. I was looking forward to reading Brian's book and knew I would just love it. The cartoons are hilarious and spot on. I love the characters in the cartoons. Loved this book!
Fowl Language: Welcome to Parenting by Brian Gordon combines some of his best comic strips into a single book that you can carry about with you, and occasionally peer into too, when you want the comfort of knowing that you aren't alone in whichever stage of parenthood you may be in.
If you are a parent, be forewarned: Vigorous nodding ahead.
The cover page, "I used to be cool and do cool things..." is the story of our lives. All of us parents, and the change we've undergone since we had our children. The image shows Daddy Duck sprawled on his back, with a flabbergasted look on his face, while Duckling bounces excitedly over his protruding stomach. Just goes to show how far we've come.
It sets the tone for what is to follow and we jump into the rest of the book excitedly. The book deals with a gamut of issues ranging from the difference between our imagined dreams and reality, disciplining our children, the similarities and differences between our children and us, and how both drive us batty, playtime with children and what happens when baby leaves you sleep deprived, answering questions from our children, car safety for children, taking kids to the doctor, me-time, watching the clock.
At this rate, I might end up mentioning them all.
The book also talks about the fearsome "Because I said so," which saves us when all options are exhausted, and the hilarious fear of Number 3. You won't understand that last one till you read the strip.
The comics remind me of how they say that having two kids makes you a referee.
The best one is the one on the back cover when Daddy Duck explains the misery and magic of eing a parent: "It's mostly drudgery and frustration, but it's still, like, the best thing ever."
That won't make sense until you become a parent.
The only piece of lengthy writing here is the introduction. The others are comic strips, with the most minimum and yet expressive of blurbs, supported by the cartoon that says it all.
In the introduction, Gordon writes, "My hope is that this little collection of cartoons will give a little comfort to any parent out there who feels a little frazzled at times."
And so, here is is, comfort and laughter in a delightful package. Of course, you could get all the strips for free on the Internet, but this little book would serve as a cute and charming gift that new parents would certainly appreciate.
This book is a humorous relief for parents. Great gift for new parents who have yet to understand all that awaits them.
This is a very funny book for parents! And a funny warning to expectant parents, too.
fowl Review In my opinion, No matter how many websites, newsletters, or books you read - nothing can truly prepare you for parenthood. Once you think you have it figured out - reality smacks you in the face. Every experience is different. What worked for one child - sometimes won't work for the other.
Fowl Language is a successful web comic - turned book/comic. This book that will have you laughing all the way through because you can relate to everything in the book. Yes, I did laugh out loud while reading this book. It will also have you breathing a sigh of relief while thinking:
"I'm not alone."
"Someone gets it."
"Wow, I thought I was the only one that felt that way."
Author Brian Gordon puts a humorous spin on the emotional rollercoaster of being a parent. At the end of the day, we are all improvising as we go. I do have to mention that the illustrations in the book add to the humor of the book. You can guess by the title of the book the stars of the book are fowl - hence the playful spin on the title of the book.
This book is a great gift for parents, especially first-time parents. The only thing you can do as a parent is give love and pray the rest fall into place.
I love it so much that I purchased a copy for a friend. Highly Recommended!!
This review will be a part of our "Mini Musings" in May on From the TBR Pile: http://fromthetbrpile.blogspot.com/2016/05/may-mini-musings.html
Goodreads 5 stars: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1627089250
My thoughts:
If you are on Facebook, you have probably seen panels from this comic floating around. I don't think I have seen one yet that I can't relate to. Having them all in one volume is a bonus. My favorite one is your child not being able to find"it" even when it is right in front of his or her nose. I definitely recommend this one for any parent. Trust me, you will be able to relate! -Kari
This book is so funny and true to life. It will be easy for parents to pick up and put down. I'm a little worried about the language. But it is so realistic. It would definitely be a great baby shower gift, or a First Christmas gift. Definitely not for someone who doesn't have kids, but you are hoping will someday.
I'm a longtime fan of Brian Gordon's comics, having been introduced to them by a buzzed article, I believe. This book is a great compilation of some of his best comics, and was a light, entertaining read. I don't have children, but I babysit my younger cousins all the time, and some of these situations could have come straight from life. Recommended for parents, or anyone looking for a laugh about dealing with some of the crazy things children do.
'Fowl Language: Welcome to Parenting' by Brian Gordon is by a cartoonist in the trenches of raising little kids. While the cartoons look kid-friendly, the occasional bad words make it something for the grown-ups. Besides, the kids wouldn't get most of the humor anyway.
The book starts with a hilarious introduction by the author that should let most parents breathe a sigh of relief. We meet parents who seem to have their act together but we all know, like Brian Gordon, that they are "big fat liars" and we are all just making it up as we go along.
The cartoons that follow show how kids can make us crazy, and how they can make us love them like crazy. The unending questions, the questionable wardrobe choices of a toddler, and how they never need a glass of water or a bathroom until it's extremely inconvenient are just a few of the topics. I laughed out loud many times while reading this book. This is a book about the funny moments of parenting from a guy who gets it.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
Parenting. It’s all magic and roses and wondrous new adventures every day right? Kids learn something new and you go “awwwwww.” They never ever get in trouble and do weird stuff. Right? Right??? Well….no. No. There will be moments like this, but more likely than not once they start talking they talk back to you, invent new lines of logic and make less sense than some politicians.
So to answer the obvious question first, am I parent? No. No I’m not. But I’m the oldest of five and have plenty of friends that are parents, and well good humor transcends these types of boundaries. And that’s what you have with Fowl Language, a humor that will have you howling in laughter (or maybe…quacking in laughter) no matter the situation.
Brian Gordon’s sense of humor is relatable because he draws directly from real life. There aren’t over the top, slightly unrealistic situations that show up in some “family” oriented strips (looking at some of those old school strips. You know the ones.) But instead they draw directly from real life, like playing pretend, where the pretend veers off into the realm of “you’re doing it wrong!”…even though you have no idea what’s right about Darth Vader being in a tutu (although you’ll silently agree it’s quite right.) More than that though he talks about the way to handle things with a deft touch and a sense of humor. Like explaining gay marriage to your kids in this strip: http://www.fowllanguagecomics.com/comic/explaining-gay-marriage/ See the simplicity? It works.
Brian’s art style is….well…hrm. I’m not sure if I have someone to compare it too, to be honest. Its think broad stroke lines create the rather simplistic bodies of the characters and solid colors make them have distinct looks for their personalities. But the selling point? The real selling point? Is the expressions on the faces. Brian is a master at capturing the bulging of the eyes, the raise of the eyebrows, the fat lines jiggling as the child bounces on the stomach. This is flat out amazeballs laugh out loud and you won’t stop once you start reading.
I have one complaint about the book however. And that is that as a webcomic Fowl Language contains a bonus panel for each strip that takes the last panel and juuuuuussst pushes it over the edge slightly and makes it that much more funny or poignant. And the book doesn’t include that, which is a real shame. Maybe in the next one they’ll be able to do that.
scary-place1I think that everything about this strip can be summed up in the last page illustration. http://www.fowllanguagecomics.com/comic/scaryworld/ It’s a scary and dark world. But Fowl Language makes it just a bit brighter and bit more bearable.
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