Short Review: 'Oddball: A Sarah's Scribbles Collection' by Sarah Andersen

Sarah Andersen's art truly speaks for me. Not only do I also have a black cat that follows me around, I also deeply love fall, avoid groups of people, and get hyper-focused on things I love. So far I haven't encountered a single "scribble" from Sarah that didn't somehow evoke a deep 'Yes!' from me. The same is true for Oddball, a delightful addition to the Sarah's Scribbles universe. Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My apologies for the delay.

Pub. Date: 12/7/2021
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

The newest Sarah's Scribbles collection from New York Times bestselling author and Goodreads Choice award winner Sarah Andersen.

The fourth book in the enormously popular graphic novel series, the latest collection of Sarah's Scribbles comics explores the evils of procrastination, the trials of the creative process, the cuteness of kittens, and the beauty of not caring about your appearance as much as you did when you were younger. When it comes to humorous illustrations of the awkwardness and hilarity of millennial life, Sarah's Scribbles is without peer.

What makes Sarah Andersen's graphic novels such fun is that for me, a Millennial, they are utterly relatable. Whether it is regretting your "not like other girls"-phase, or the desire to scream about your current obsession, or the desire to give unconditional love and  support to your friends, it all comes up in her drawings and it all feels true. What sets Oddball apart a little is that his collection came to life during the start of the COVID-19 epidemic. As such, the content of Oddball in part deals with that weird isolation, with trying to maintain a sense of self and a connection with others while avoiding real life contact. Oddball is perfect to dip in to every now and then for a little pick-me-up. If, like me, you race through it in one go then it is over very quickly, which is a shame.

As such the Sarah's Scribbles collections are all quite similar in tone and design. There is not a whole lot of variety in the style per se, but then this is also a continuous series so a drastic departure of tone and style would be odd. I must also say that Andersen's other project, Fangs, is also quickly becoming a major favourite. While very different from Sarah's Scribbles in look and content, it shares the same dry humour and the same insight. I basically love sending Andersen's cartoons to friends and then we laugh at it, at ourselves, at the world, and it all becomes a little more manageable for those few minutes. And what are books and art for, if not to create a connection and relieve the everyday?

I give this collection...

4 Universes!

Oddball is a great addition to the Sarah's Scribbles universe. While featuring some favourites, like the dreaded period and the procrastination, it also peers into the awkwardness of youth and the isolation of adulthood.