[close] The Freddie Stories is a collection of strips from Lynda Barry's weekly cartoon, Ernie Pook's Comeek. As the title suggests, all the strips feature Freddie, a gentle misfit and self-described "fag" who goes through a wrenching year. Though Barry's drawing style is whimsical and her protagonists are kids, this is definitely not a book for young children. The haunting--and sometimes downright disturbing--stories cover everything from the fluid nature of friendships to special ed. class to arson. Not only do Freddie's peers misunderstand him, his mother is cold and distant and makes no secret of the fact that she dislikes him. Tough odds, but luckily Freddie has his exuberant sister, Marlys, to help him through. Though the bright spots in The Freddie Stories are few and far between, it's a nearly impossible book to put down once you've started it. Barry's young characters are as painfully real as her drawings are hypnotic. --Ali Davis [close]