Barnaby #5

Crockett Johnson's beloved Barnaby strip gets a gorgeous fifth collected volume from Fantagraphics, bringing together more of the strip's warmly whimsical adventures. The cover says it all: young Barnaby stands on a step in his yellow shirt, one hand raised in greeting or farewell, while his small fairy godfather — green-coated, pink-winged, and wearing a hat — floats cheerfully through a pale winter sky. It's a perfectly charming snapshot of the gentle, good-humored magic that has made this series such a pleasure to revisit.