It might seem a curious topic for a game-industry veteran's first book, but with Sofa Boy, Scott Langteau delivers an inspired motivator for getting kid gamers off the couch.
Equally retro-cute and Tim Burton-esque weird, thanks to Pin-Up Toons mastermind Rion Vernon's illustrations, Sofa Boy tells the tale of a game-obsessed kid who learned too late that he should've taken time to get out in the real world to play. We won't give away the ending, but suffice it to say Langteau's twisted sense of humor shines through the muck of Sofa Boy's universe.
One of the more timid images from Sofa Boy.
Admittedly, the visual story seemed a bit much even for a grizzled dad like me, but despite its seeming shock value, Sofa Boy has quickly turned into one of my boys' favorite books. At its core, it's a valuable lesson told in simple rhymes, and a great way to bond away from the game console before bedtime.
$10.17 (normally $14.95) at Amazon.
