Libro. DuPre Jones & Edward Gorey: The Adventures of Gremlin

Hardcover Smyth-sewn book, with jacket
112 pages with 30 black and white illustrations by Edward Gorey

In this far-fetched fairy tale, a plucky little girl named Gremlin and her brother, Zeppelin, leave their childhood home—a woodsman’s cottage, of course—in the kingdom of Etaoin and set out to see the world. Clambering through an enchanted forest and navigating pirate-infested seas en route to the Royal Palace (where a drastic change of circumstance awaits), they encounter a host of quirky characters beyond anything the Brothers Grimm ever imagined. Yes, there are knights (good and evil), a giant, and the requisite fairy godmother. But there’s also an inn full of doom-and-gloom beatniks, a peevish wombat, a poet whose limericks probe the meaning of life, and a flightless parrot who spouts Latin. Anything but a fainthearted waif, Gremlin takes surprises and setbacks in stride, retaining her innocence and good humor all the while. DuPre Jones’s witty, clever, and decidedly grown-up text full of puns, double entendres, literary references, and sly characterizations of human foibles—coupled with pen-and-ink illustrations by renowned artist Edward Gorey—makes The Adventures of Gremlin a devilishly fun read for adults, as well as a welcome update to the Gorey illustration canon.