Return of the Snow Block

Last year, Barnes & Noble had an exclusive book edition of A Charlie Brown Christmas, reprinting the original adaptation of the TV special, with a “snow block” – basically, a rectangular snow globe. (In fact, that edition is still available.)

This November, they have another newSnow Block Charlie Brown Christmas edition, again packaged with a snow block. Possibly the same snow block; all we have is the text description. But the book this time is described as a hardcover with a jacket, which would not properly describe the prior one. And the cover they’re displaying here has the Schulz drawing from the 1965 adaptation, which was not used as the cover last time. And the price is lower.

You know, some day I will look back on my life and realize that I could’ve owned an actual new car, but instead I have umpteen book adaptations of A Charlie Brown Christmas. And perhaps I will smile.

Upcoming releases
A book I’d not expected to resurface

Back in 2011, Schulz’s granddaughter Dena Hodges issued the first two chapters of  a memoir called In the Shadow of the Family Dog. As I noted in my review at the time, the chapter and the description of the project made it clear that the focus was her relationship with …

Upcoming releases
A box of squares

This May, Fantagraphics is collecting the various small square Peanuts books they’ve published into a new box set, Peanuts All Year Round Mini Collection. This includes: A Valentine for Charlie Brown — Valentine’s Day and romance strips Batter-Up Charlie Brown! — baseball strips Waiting for the Great Pumpkin — Halloween …

Upcoming releases
Game Day returns

Back in 2020, Fantagraphics dropped Game Day, a boxed set of sports-themes Peanuts strip reprint paperbackss, as a Costco exclusive. Next June it’s coming back, this time in hardcover and available through the usual sources. Designed as a Father’s Day gift, it should be good for anyone who likes Peanuts …