If Walt Disney and Walt Kelly had teamed up to adapt Lord of the Rings, it might look a little something like Jeff Smith’s Bone. What starts as a simple and humorous tale about the foibles of the three Bone cousins quickly blossoms into an epic tale of good versus evil, with the fate of the idyllic Valley hanging in the balance. This is a great all ages story that features gorgeous black and white art, and a grand, thrilling narrative that will appeal to both kids and adults. If you like fantasy, this is a must-read.

At times humorous and melancholy, this book follows an out of work journalist as he sets off with the coroner who performed the autopsy on Albert Einstein on a fascinating journey across the United States to deliver the famed physicist’s brain to one of his descendants. Along the way, these two very different men reflect on the life of one of the greatest intellects the world has ever known, taking the reader from Einstein’s childhood to his death on April 18, 1955. During the trip, the two men get to know one another better, and also get a better understanding of the United States as both a country and a concept. This is one of those "too incredible to be true" stories, and the fact that it actually happened makes it all the more fascinating. The writing is straightforward but evocative, the story is fun and absorbing, and the characters are all quirky and lovable. It's also very cinematic. As I was reading it, I could almost picture the movie in my head, and I could practically hear the jaunty indie rock soundtrack throughout. I guarantee that once you embark on this journey, you won’t want it to end.

Told from the point of view of a literate cockroach named Numbers, this hilarious and engaging novel serves as a pointed look at both love and the human condition. Numbers may be an unconventional narrator, but his ruminations on language, sex, death, and everything in between are funny, insightful, and wholly original. I first discovered this book in the mid-90s, and have read it three times since then. It's just that good. It helps that the writing is top notch. Weiss's prose is inventive and propulsive, and practically compels the reader to keep turning the pages. I've loved this book for a long time, and if you enjoy reading funny, well-written books that offer up observations on the foibles of everyday existence, then I think you just might love it, too.