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My editor sent me some copies of the German version of HAPPYFACE! It’s really cool! They did an awesome job, it was a far cry from just translating a project of this scope – they had to work with all of the art, the hand-written titles, the comic book bubbles, the asides. Not only did they do all that, but they made it look like I did it! The cover is a nice sturdy embossed image, some people think the more aggressive cover image is cool and a few of my coworkers were frightened.
Here’s a few pictures:
And here’s a few youtube videos I’ve found – I wish I knew what they were saying!
Tags: Happyface
Ich find dieses buch wirklich toll es hat viel lustige seiten am ende aber auch sehr viel traurige seiten!Man kann mit fühlen was Happyface durch macht und man….man fühlt sich wie er!!!!Ich würde das Buch weiter empfehlen, meinen Freunden,meiner Familie und auch BEkannt und auch nicht bekannte
heyho!
I just finished your happyface book!
I’m from germany (: If you like, I could translate the videos in this post for you^^ (send me a mail)
your book is great!unusual, full of inspiration and cool =)
I like journaling =)
greets (:
miezekatze
Heyo!
Gratulations! I just finished reading the german version of “happyface” and I love the great combination of art, fun and a profound story! I like, how we get a deep insight into the mind and soul of this young boy.
All in all, this story is life-like. You did an awesome job!
And, of course, you’re a talented sketcher!!
Doing “journaling” and that stuff myself, I was as marry as a lark when I discovered the lists, portraits, typography and so on (:
Sure, there exist some cartoon-novels, yet, but your book is extrordinary!
(If you wish, I can translate these german videos for you! just send me a mail^^)
greets!
The first video is mostly just talking about what the books is about. At the end she says: Happyface is a journal, YA book and comic combined. Happyface talks about the typical teenage problem and conjures a very individual character through energetic pictures.
The second is a review. She says the book is very different and then talks about what the book is about without spoilers. It’s wonderfully and lovingly done. The character is a great artist and very creative. There is something new to find on every page. She then looks for great pages to show and says how it’s split into months, then shows use some of the great ways the story is told. When she got the book she thought it would be a really quick read and might not be worth the cost (€14,95), but found out that it’s as long as a lot of other YA books because there is so much to discovery and you can’t read it all at once. She really loves the story itself. It’s a little slow at the beginning, but then is suddenly dramatic and exciting which she didn’t except. She is going to give it a 5 out of 5 rating. The cover is great because the yellow stands out on the bookshelf and the face is embossed. She likes the teenager because he has a different view of life and she found it fascinating how the world can change if you walk around with a smile. It’s definitely something she would recommend. It was fun to read, but it would of been interesting to know the boy’s real names. It’s your first novel and previously only drew comics, which you can see since it’s like a comic and very creative. She’s very impressed. It’s a book for all young readers, teenagers and young at heart adults. It’s very different and entertaining.
Hope that helped :-)
Sounds like a great book. I think I’ll read it in English.
Dear Mr Emond,
I hope this missive gets to you rather that some faceless publisher. Last week myself and my husband were in a Barnes and Noble store in Washington, we picked up your book from a table amid Diary of a Wimpy Kid and other books aimed at 11/12 year olds. we were drawn to the tag line “fake it until you make it” as this is something that we have discussed with our daughter as she will be moving to High school in September. On a quick flick through, we thought that it was similar to Diary of a Wimpy Kid and so thought that it would be a suitable book for her to read. She was engrossed from the first page, finally putting the book down at bedtime. Imagine my horror, when I began to look at the book in more detail and realised what I have given to my impressionable eleven year old girl. We took the book off her before she got to the part about masturbation –I’m so glad that I haven’t needed to explain that concept yet! I struggle to see the age range that your book is targetted to, it seems to condone teenage sex, suggesting that it is ok, and that being a virgin is something to be laughed at.
I am obviously in a minority , as I understand that the book is popular, but I won’t be giving the book back to my child until she is a lot older.
I am writing this in the hope that you will discuss suitable product placement with your publishers, I do not know if you have children, but I would appreciate you thinking about the age you would anticpate them being when they read your book. I have had to explain virginity, and why its a good thing, to a young girl who still laughs every time she hears the word sex! All because the book was placed with books for younger children. Parents can not check every piece of children’s literature before giving it to their children, we have to trust that writers, publishers and book sellers are responsible enough to ensure that the books only reach their targeted age group.
I realise that you are a busy person, but I am trusting that you are responsible enough to realise that this is an important issue and that you, as the author are in a position to ensure that this unfortunate situation does not arise with other children.
Your Sincerely
Alison Higginbottom.
Hi Alison, I was upset to read your comment, and I do thank you for sharing it with me. It’s a really hard thing to judge, when writing a book. Knowing the book is going out into the world and through a young adult publisher, I do have to think of the audience, and at the same time I am trying to write a personal story and a lot of times the story is dictating itself.
Every family is going to be different – I took a trip to Texas last year for their library association conference, and there were people that were very cautious and not too happy with the swears, and there were others that found it harmless. As an author, I’m mostly concerned with telling the story and wouldn’t even know where to begin in making decisions about who can read it and who can’t – luckily I have a publisher for that! They have teams that specialize in this kind of decision-making.
I’m sorry that in this case the age range they chose didn’t fit for your family, it definitely made me sad to read that. Hopefully it’s something she’ll be able to enjoy when she’s older.
Hey Mr. Emond!
Just finished your book and I got to say, it certainly was interesting and fun. Some things I could really relate to which made it all the more fun! I’m sad to say that I finished it rather quickly, guess I couldn’t get enough. (Haha) Anyway, just wanted to pop by and say Hi. I’m fourteen btw.
I read the comment posted above and I honestly think it depends on reader maturity and discrimination because of age doesn’t really seem fair.
Good luck with your future stories and novels!
P.S. More drawings would have been awesome, it was a sketchbook right? (:
Cheers,
-R
Thanks Ray! I have another book coming in December with more cartoons and illustrations, sit tight!
Mr.Emond
Happyface was amazing!
Enough said.
– whitz