Bookworm of Gensan loves The Smurfs (graphic novels)

The Smurfs

Next to the Disney and Pixar characters like Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Woody, Buzz and the rest of the gang, my favorites also are the Smurfs, the little blue male creatures created by Belgian cartoonist Peyo (pen name of Pierre Culliford) on October 23, 1958. From comics, the Smurfs became a hit TV cartoon series in the 80s. Each Smurf portrays a specific human personality to which the readers and TV viewers can relate to.

This year in preparation for The Smurfs movie, Papercutz published The Smurfs graphic novels collecting the stories in several volumes (9 so far but 6 are currently available in the Philippines).  These graphic novels and the movie will surely introduce the Smurfs to a new generation of fans.

Volume 1: The Purple Smurfs, The Flying Smurf, The Smurf and His Neighbors

Volume 2: The Smurfs and the Magic Flute

Volume 3: The Smurf King, The Smurfony

Volume 4: The Smurfette, The Hungry Smurfs

Volume 5: The Smurfs and the Egg, The Fake Smurf, The Hundredth Smurf

Volume 6: The Smurfs and the Howlibird, The Smurf Express, You can't Smurf in the way of Progress

The Smurfs on my laptop

Bookworm of Gensan DIY: How to remove those pesky sticky price tags

Those pesky sticky price tags only bother me when a) they're placed on the book front covers b) they're placed on the book back covers AND cover the back cover blurbs.


Early on, I tried removing these stickers with my fingernails, but after a few removals, they started to hurt! So I turned to Google for some tips.

The Expensive Method:

One tip suggested that I use WD-40 aka No-Mess Pen. I found one in Handyman, but it's so pricey. Nevertheless, I bought one and gave it a try.

Here's how the peel-off test went:

Take off the cap and press the felt tip firmly over the price tag until the WD-40 liquid seeps on it.

 WARNING: WD-40 may be harmful when swallowed, inhaled or when it comes in contact with eyes.

Make sure the liquid is evenly distributed over the price tag.

After 2-3 hours: Using your fingernail, peel off the price tag.

Voila! No more price tag!

The Cheapest Method:

Instead of using WD-40, use tap water instead. It's the cheapest way and what's more is that there's no waiting time. Here's how:

1. Use drops of tap water to wet the price tag.
2. Using your thumb or index finger, rub on the price tag until the paper material peels off.
3. After the paper material is peeled off, what remains is the glue material.
4. Use your fingernails to scrape the glue material off the cover.
Warning: This method may cause patches of the bookcover to be peeled off together with the glue material being scraped off.

The Cheaper Method:

1. Buy the cheapest mineral oil in the supermarket/pharmacy.

2. Use a drop or two of mineral oil and spread it evenly over the price tag until it becomes translucent. Then let it stand for 3-6 hours for maximum effect. Warning: The mineral oil may cause stains on thinner book covers, especially the non-glossy ones.

 3. After 3-6 hours, the price tag can be easily peeled off.

 4. Use cloth to wipe off remaining oil and glue residue on the cover.

 There you go!

 In case of multiple price tags (one tag placed over the other), make sure the top one is translucent after applying the mineral oil.

 After 3-6 hours, peel off the top price tag.

 Apply more mineral oil on the second price tag. Wait for 30 minutes to 1 hour before peeling it off.

 Use cloth to wipe off remaining oil and glue residue.

Bookworm of Gensan collects The Little Prince

My collection of Little Prince books and multimedia materials

One of my favorite books since college is Little Prince by Antoine de St. Exupery. An Oblates of Notre Dame (OND) nun, Sr. Josefina Chiongson, introduced it to me. She warned me beforehand that it was not just a children's book.

It was a thin pocketbook with black and white line drawings and colored watercolor paintings (by the author himself) and easy-to-understand English translation of the original French text of Le Petit Prince. After reading it for the first time, I realized how profound it was. Since then, I started collecting different translations and editions of it.

In Chapter XXI of the book, the fox shared a secret with the Little Prince: "On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux."   In the caption below each picture in my book collection, you can read how each translator rendered this secret.


Katherine Woods's translation

This is my very first copy of this best-selling translation by Katherine Woods. It is an old used book with colored cover and illustrations.

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."

Irene Testot-Ferry's translation

From the Wordsworth Classics edition of The Little Prince.

"But the eyes are blind. One must look with the heart."

Richard Howard's translation

Howard's version is the one of the latest translations (2000) of the original French text.

"One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes."

Ros and Chloe Schwartz's translation

This edition is the latest translation (2010) published by the Collector's Library. This is the smallest book in my collection.

"You only see clearly with your heart. The most important things are invisible to the eyes."

Sarah Ardizzone's translation

Also one of the latest translations (2010), but this one is for a graphic novel edition of the book illustrated by Joann Sfar.

"You can only see clearly with the heart. What matters is invisible to the eye."

Desiderio Ching's Filipino translation

Ang Munting Prinsipe, the Filipino edition, was published in 1991 by the Claretian Publications.

"...sa pamamagitan lamang ng puso makakakitang mabuti. Hindi kita ng mata ang pinakapuso ng mga bagay."

Now that you've read the different translations, which version do you prefer? :)

And now for the rest of the collection -

The Carousel Book edition

This is a unique book because it features 6 of the original watercolor paintings by the author in pop-up and carousel design.

Top view of the Carousel Book edition

The Little Prince Book of Fun and Adventure

I found this used book in the kiddie section of my favorite used book shop. It's filled with scribblings and drawings in crayon. I guess the kid who used to own this had so much fun with the activities in it.

The Little Prince interactive e-book

This e-book is so user-friendly! You can turn the virtual pages and listen to the story being narrated and voice-acted.

The Little Prince audiobook

This audiobook edition features the voices of Richard Gere as the narrator and Haley Joel Osment as the Little Prince. Definitely a collector's item!

The Little Prince movie musical

With Steven Warner as the Little Prince, Gene Wilder as the Fox, and Bob Fosse as the Snake, Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe (famous for My Fair Lady and Camelot) created the musical version of this book.

The Deluxe Pop-up Book edition

The Little Prince comes alive when you read this pop-up edition to your kids. St. Exupery's watercolor paintings are vividly crafted in each page. Richard Howard's translation was used as text in this edition.

Bookworm of Gensan loves The Hobbit (Graphic Novel)

Since The Hobbit is still being filmed on location now and if you're too lazy to read the book by J. R. R. Tolkien, then The Hobbit (graphic novel) illustrated by David Wenzel is for you!

The Hobbit is the prequel to The Lord of the Ring trilogy. It tells the story of Bilbo Baggins, a relative of Frodo Baggins, how the wizard Gandalf persuaded him to join 13 dwarfs on a quest and how the ring came into his possession.

Bilbo Baggins meets Gandalf

Bilbo matches wits with Gollum by way of riddles

Smaug, the dragon, sleeping on a heap of treasures

Bilbo, made invisible by the ring, beholds Smaug amidst the treasures

When I first read The Hobbit in college, I immediately identified with Bilbo because he was a writer and also because in the first book of the trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring, he celebrated his eleventy first (111th) birthday. Like Bilbo, I will be celebrating my own eleventy first birthday on 11-11-11!