The Freddie Stories traces a year in the life of Freddie, the youngest member of the dysfunctional Mullen family. These four-panel entries—each representing an episode in the life of Freddie—bring to life adolescence, pimples and all. With consummate skill, Lynda Barry writes about the cruelty of children at this most vulnerable age when the friends they make and the paths they choose can forever change their lives. Every word of dialogue, every piece of narration, and every dark line evokes adolescent angst. The Freddie Stories is an adult tale about just how hard it is to be a teenager, and it''s classic Barry work—poignant, insightful, and true.