Life in the Present: A Joyful Collection of Comics About Living in the Moment

by Liz Climo

Known for her charming animal illustrations that are "guaranteed to make you smile" (Good Housekeeping), internationally bestselling author and illustrator Liz Climo is back with a new collection of 100 comics that celebrate the joy of life's littlest moments.

Every page of Life in the Present is brimming with Liz Climo's patented blend of humor and warm-hearted wisdom, and her adorable bears, otters, bunny rabbits, and hamsters (among others) help us all to see the beauty in life's least significant occasions. ​Whether they're grabbing for a slice of pizza that's just out of reach or trying to gather the energy to go out on a Friday night, the delightful animal characters depicted in these comics—75 of which are brand new and never-before-seen—are guaranteed to brighten your day.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Humor, Animals, Nonfiction, Adult

112 pages, Hardcover

First published August 6, 2024

About the author

Liz Climo grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and moved to Los Angeles after college to work as a character artist on The Simpsons. She started a comic blog, LizClimo.tumblr.com, where Rory and his dad first appeared in 2012. Liz currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Colin, and their daughter, Marlow.

Liz Climo is a character artist for The Simpsons TV series and has worked on The Lebrons and Seth Macfarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy. She also the author of Le Petit Monde de Liz, a comic collection published in France as well as a forthcoming children’s book. She lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute collection of comics. The illustrations were super cute and most of them were pretty amusing. This book took very little time to read and it definitely brought a smile to my face. I liked the subtle humor like a shark saying be honest are people scared because I’m honest and being told no I think it’s because you’re a shark. This was a sweet book and I imagine it would make a decent present for someone.

[Penny Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful and heartwarming. Liz Climo always makes me smile.

[Kiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely f-ing adorable! Laughed out loud again and again.

[Peaarly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect mixture of cute and fun!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny and sweet with adorable animal drawings. I'm planning to go old school and copy some off and put them on the bulletin board at work. I'm sure my co workers will appreciate it. 🙃

[Kathy Spillar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love her comics—on Instagram and her books. This is a wonderful one with all my favorite critters—sloth, capybara, hamsters, even an anteater. And I had to add it to my list to try to catch up on my reading goal for the year!

[Ags · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this out loud with my partner for a long-distance date night, which was super cute. We especially liked the cartoons where the animal type really mattered for the joke. When these were cute, they were super cute. Many were "meh," but that's life. We didn't see the theme of these to be "life in the present," which I think I would have really liked!

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Liz Climo's Books!! This one was so enjoyable and fun to read. The pictures and artwork are perfect. I can't wait for her next book!!!!

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think it’s the best cutest book I have ever read. And I will def reread again and again.

[elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

i want to be a little animal and live in this world

[Mari McR · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not know Liz Climo's name until tonight. Our local library featured this book on the shelf where the librarians/employees make recommendations of movies and books. I picked up "Life in the Present" for some light reading as my final read of my annual 50 Book Challenge. This comic book surprised me in significant ways: (1) I used to laugh out loud A LOT when I was younger. In my mid-fifties, that is a rare treat. At least 1/3 of Ms. Climo's pages had me uproariously laughing because the jokes portrayed day-to-day challenges ingeniously with refreshing humor. The pages make fun of being so exhausted that we complain that we have to take a break from just standing; that we stay seated rather than do chores because, well, we are sitting; best of all is that the thin, tiny book gave more LIFE to my everyday than any of the thousands of self-help books. Oh, by the way, self-help books are not immune to Climo's humor.

The illustrations are ideal and more enjoyable than human portrayals. I sought help from my husband to identify, e.g. capybara, sloth...making the read even more fun. (2) I don't read comics. Gone are Sunday newspaper days when I would go straight to Charles Schulz's artistry, and I don't seek them out on the web. Tonight, I was interrupting my poor husband's late dinner as I showed him every few pages because I felt compelled to share funnies I haven't experienced in YEARS. I saw my spouse, my children, friends, our dogs, and myself in many of the pages. I guffawed so loudly I nearly lost my voice!

As I enjoyed Liz Climo's comics so very much, I seek her email to tell her and Running Press that they brought back my real self. You know, that young girl who used to laugh at everything and had a ready smile for all she met. That girl that has been suppressed by Life just like Climo's endearing sloths and capybaras. Writing the author? That's a first for me, too. First, let me donate the self-help books on my shelves to that life-saving library. Who knew that all I needed was Liz Climo and her wild, furry, but insightful friends?

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I love Liz Climo's books that have one overarching narrative so much that this one was a little lackluster in comparison. It's a collection of individual comics sorted into categories (like "Work" or "Play") and they're mostly a little sardonic or ironic (but occasionally wholesome). I didn't really get the message of living in the present and think that the title is a bit arbitrary since again, it's all individual comics, some of which were previously posted online. 3.5 stars because I liked it a little more than Lobster Is the Best Medicine: A Collection of Comics About Friendship. Where Liz shines are her books with a single continuous narrative, with each comic being made for that story like You're Mom: A Little Book for Mothers.

[Bandit · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is such a thing as just the right level of cute. That's what I learned from reading this book.
I've never heard of the author, but cute seems to be her brand from perusing her oeuvre.
There's been a lot of that lately in comics, most of which veers into cutesy which is frankly quite awful. But this book manages the balance of lovely and whimsy just right. With genuinely adorable drawings of animals and charming (and far-enough-from-trite) life observations, this collection was a delight start to finish. And yes, true to name, a rather joyful read in a joyless time. Recommended.

[kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

awww that was cuteeee. so short. silly lil animals and humor tiny lil comics like others i’ve read - cryptid, fangs, etc, kind reminders and observations about life. nothing stood out to me as that entirely memorable except maybe the one where the bird wanted to take the plane instead of flying so it could read a book. cute. and the one where the list tells the future and it’s just a to do list. cute cute

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're already a Liz Climo fan, this will warm the cockles of your little heart.
If you're not, your heart may be cockleless.
If you don't know Liz Climo, read this to find out whether or not your heart cockles can be warmed.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute, and at times laugh-out-loud funny. The comics are each 2 frames, so it's a really quick and enjoyable read. Climo captures a slice of life with each one. I highly recommend this comic collection to anyone looking for something light and sometimes insightful at the same time.

[Emmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liz Climo is charming as always and this collection was so, so cute!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic collection of Liz Climo's adorable works!

[Brittany T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute!

[H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can you ever go wrong with a book of Ms Climo's comics? No. No, you cannot.

[Indy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another cute and witty picture book by Liz.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️🥰☺️😊

[Brian Mikołajczyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of funny Liz Climo comics about living in the present.
As with every Liz Climo book, the joy and laughter these comics bring is great!

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plenty to grin about!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

10 stars! I want Liz Climo to be my very, very best friend and I want to see her every day. Her books make me so happy, and I bet being around her makes life alot easier to take. Just adorbs!

[Gracyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and delightful read :D

[Lauren Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple artistry, but packed with smiles. I love how these cartoons remind me of my friends. It really is the small things in life. Great for every age.

[Wicked Bastard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lighthearted one-page cartoons, read the whole thing in half an hour. They’re relaxing, reflective, and relatable. Recommended for absolutely anyone.

[Ivy Dally · Rating 5 out of 5]

So darn sweet! If you are having a bad day, this little book might help get you back on track.