A collection of books and pamphlets laid out on a blue surface. Titles include “Worn Stories”, “Discovering Scarfolk”, “Unbinding the Book” and “Such a Thing”.

Stories, donkeys and satire in this week's Things

Words: Amy Lewin
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Date: 26 September 2014; Work

And so it’s Friday once again. The merry-go-round of the weekdays continues and we’re all now riding upon the glittery saddle of the Things pony! We’re taking in the sights and on display is a lovely children’s book, a collection of sartorial memoirs and a bonkers blog-turned-book making a mockery of the 1970s. Keep your eyes big and beedy to spy a book about, well, books and some fine prints too.

The cover of a children’s book titled “No Such Thing” by Ella Bailey and Flying Eye Books. An illustration shows a person with a skeptical expression surrounded by whimsical creatures, including a black cat and a pumpkin. — Above
Ella Bailey: *No Such Thing*

An illustration from a children’s book shows a person and a black cat looking into an open fridge. To the right, a yellow dog jumps up in a colourful kitchen. Text at the bottom reads “When snacks were stolen from the fridge”. — Above
Ella Bailey: *No Such Thing*

An illustration from a children's book shows a small figure with black hair and a black dress standing in an autumnal forest. Beside them sits a carved pumpkin, while text below reads “she also spied the pumpkin thief hiding somewhere nearby.” — Above
Ella Bailey: *No Such Thing*

An open children’s book featuring a colourful illustration of a child in a red dress walking through a cluttered room. The scene includes a large shelf filled with toys, a keyboard on the floor, and a wardrobe. — Above
Ella Bailey: *No Such Thing*

Ella Bailey: No Such Thing

One year out of uni with a children’s story published by Flying Eye to her name; congratulations are due to illustrator Ella Bailey. No Such Thing is a Halloween-themed tale in which rosy-cheeked Georgia turns detective tracking down the culprit of some mysterious mischievous happenings in her house. Her prints steer clear of primary colours lending maturity to the pictures and the story itself, yet remain bright enough to be far from boring!
www.ellabailey.co.uk

A book cover titled “Discovering Scarfolk” with the subtitle “For tourists & other trespassers”. The image shows a surreal landscape of cooling towers beneath a giant, floating eye in a cloudy sky. — Above
Richard Littler: *Discovering Scarfolk*

An open book shows a vintage advertisement for “Scarforth ice-cream” on a yellow striped background. The page features a grid of various ice lollies and the headline “Two words spell ice-cream!”. — Above
Richard Littler: *Discovering Scarfolk*

An open book shows two pages of a campaign. The left page features an orange poster with a bird and the text “Whatever you do Don’t”. The right page shows a black and white photo of a person in a bird costume and a circular badge with the same bird and the word “Don’t”. — Above
Richard Littler: *Discovering Scarfolk*

An open book displays a page featuring a vintage-style advertisement. The image shows a person with a walker and the headline “Expiration Date?”, followed by text about people over the age of 75. — Above
Richard Littler: *Discovering Scarfolk*

Richard Littler: Discovering Scarfolk

Honestly, when I first picked up Discovering Scarfolk I grimaced. But this is a book that shouldn’t be judged by its cover because, like the blog it takes its content from, it’s a deliberate and hilarious parody of the 1970s and those Penguin books my parents had on their childhood bookshelves. Scarfolk Council is apparently a great undiscovered (by me) source of entertainment (for everyone from Ian Rankin to Caitlin Moran). In Scarfolk the 1970s continue in perpetuity, providing creator Richard Littler ample opportunity to mock the era he grew up in with craftily photoshopped advertisements, book jackets and food packaging. There’s a storyline stringing it all together but the images are hilarious enough by themselves.
www.scarfolk.blogspot.co.uk

A blue ink illustration of a person wearing a hat standing beside a horse. Both figures are rendered in a loose, sketchy style with visible texture and drips of ink. — Above
Joe Gamble: prints

A red ink drawing on white paper depicts a dense, chaotic crowd of simplified figures. The scribbled lines create a sense of movement and congestion across the page. — Above
Joe Gamble: prints

A red and black ink illustration of various bowling scenes on a white background. Figures are depicted in a loose, sketchy style, accompanied by handwritten text including “AMF CLASSIC” and “FOR BOWLING off-spot range!”. — Above
Joe Gamble: prints

An illustration of a line of small figures falling through a white void. They tumble in a curve towards a dense, colourful architectural structure topped with blue cranes. — Above
Joe Gamble: prints

Joe Gamble: prints

It was love at first sight. I fell for Joe Gamble’s donkey immediately. He’s so blue and so mournful and he’s being leant on by a cowboy. Awesome.

Joe draws, cuts and pastes, according to his website but I like his prints (a sample of which he kindly sent through in the post) and charcoal doodles best.
www.cargocollective.com

A book cover featuring a purple jumper on a wooden hanger against a white background. The title reads “Worn Stories” above the author’s name, “Emily Spivack”. — Above
Emily Spivack: *Worn Stories*

An open book shows a soft pink illustration of bunny ears on a headband. The opposite page contains a dense column of text under the heading “Margaret D. Stetz”. — Above
Emily Spivack: *Worn Stories*

An open book on a blue background. The left page features a pair of black slippers, while the right page is filled with text under the heading “Emily Spivack”. — Above
Emily Spivack: *Worn Stories*

An open book shows a purple button-down shirt hanging on a hanger on the left page. The right page features a column of text under the heading “Rosanne Cash”. — Above
Emily Spivack: *Worn Stories*

Emily Spivack: Worn Stories

Deep in a sock drawer, squirrelled away in the back of a wardrobe or bundled up in a box, we all have a treasured piece of clothing stored safely somewhere. Artist, writer and editor Emily Spivack has collected images of and stories about the intimate items of a selection of creatives, from Gretta Gerwig to Marina Abramovic, in Worn Stories. It’s a sweet and unusual insight into unheard stories from public personalities.
www.wornstories.com

A white book cover with a red spine and black edge rests on a blue background. The title “Unbinding the Book” is printed in the centre, above the Blurb and Jotta logos. — Above
*Unbinding the Book*

An open book featuring the work of “Carlin Brown”. The left page shows a collage of colourful prints and tapes, while the right page contains a biography and a photo of a person hanging blue folders on a wall. — Above
*Unbinding the Book*

An open book displays a layout featuring photographs of a design project. One image shows a wooden lectern with a white object on top, while others show people working in a studio. — Above
*Unbinding the Book*

An open book lies on a blue surface. One page features a photograph of a crowded art fair with people browsing books, alongside a block of text. — Above
*Unbinding the Book*

Unbinding the Book

The final thing to land on your desktop this week is Unbinding the Book, indie publishers Blurb and visual arts studio Jotta’s collaborative commission celebrating the art of making books. It features the original work of nine artists and designers exploring books, book-making and illustrated storytelling.
www.unbindingthebook.com