DANIEL HANDLER & MAIRA KALMAN - Why We Broke Up

Bestselling author of, among other things, the Lemony Snicket series of books, Daniel Handler has teamed up with renowned artist Maira Kalman to create this wonderful new YA book that delves into that most painful of human experiences - The Break Up. 

The book begins:

I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened. Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped. 

Over the course of writing and illustrating Why We Broke Up, Handler and Kalman were inspired to create a space online where others could vent the stories of their break-ups. Thus was born The Why We Broke Up Project, a tumblr site where all are welcome to post their anonymous stories of heartbreak. In addition to the anonymous posts, you can also read the real break-up stories of celebrities such as Neil Gaiman, Brian Selznick, David Levithan, and others. Heartbreak's never been so much fun! Read some of our own staff's break up stories.

Daniel Handler has written for grown-ups under his own name and for younger readers under the name Lemony Snicket. He was dumped at least three times in high school. Maira Kalman, acclaimed artist and designer, has created many books for both grown-ups and children. Her heart was broken in high school by a boy who looked like Bob Dylan.  

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