The Ticking (PDF)

"A gem that means more with every reading." — Booklist"The Ticking is a journey to a place we've never seen or imagined, yet which somehow and inexplicably we know intimately. To be so deeply moved in so many directions at once is a rare gift Renee French gives us, and it is nothing short of astonishing." — Paul Provenza, director of The Aristocrats"Renée French is that rare gift among artists — one whose work finds its way into the most guarded corners of our psyches and allows us to revel in all that is awkward, embarrassing, or sticky about being alive. — Myla Goldberg, Author of Bee SeasonThe Ticking is the story of Edison Steelhead, a boy who at birth takes his mother's life and his father's deformed face. Secreted away by his father to be raised in a remote island lighthouse, Edison relates to his surroundings in the only way he knows how—by capturing them in his sketchbook. Able to find beauty in even the most grotesque of things, Edison embraces his own unsettling appearance and sets out to confront the rest of the world. Waiting for him on its alien shores are the sights and experiences that will give shape to both his future and his past. Written and illustrated by acclaimed artist Renée French, The Ticking is a compelling work of graphic literature, a reminder that before we can appreciate the beauty around us, we must first find it within ourselves.