Elly and John Patterson, along with their children Michael, Elizabeth, and April, make up one of the most beloved families in America. The clan from For Better or For Worse is not only recognized, their lives are studied, identified with, and, most of all, treasured for the amusing reflections they provide. Perhaps it’s seeing part of ourselves in this familial five–something that makes them so endearing. Maybe it’s the good old-fashioned values they display. No matter what her secret, creator Lynn Johnston excels, once again, with this collection, Love Just Screws Everything Up, that gives us a chance to grow even closer to the Pattersons and their devoted dog, Edgar.

This collection of heartwarming and humorous vignettes traces the Pattersons as they toil and traipse through their daily existence–lives much like our own, amplified by Johnson’s insightful take on the extraordinarily funny things that happen to ordinary people. For example, we watch as Elly, seemingly stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, uses her cell-phone to call the office–while actually waiting to give her drive-up donut order. Or there’s John scolding his girls during a fishing trip for wasting the live bait, only to have a gull grab his next cast in mid-air.

No matter what their situation, no matter what their challenges, the Pattersons always come through with smiles–at least on their readers’ faces. This creative collection, Love Just Screws Everything Up, is sure to captivate all fans of cartooning’s first family.