Before every brand was trying to manufacture authenticity and before social media turned personal style into content, there was Emily the Strange.
Rob Reger’s Emily the Strange has been a cultural icon for decades, starting as a design for a skateboard company in Santa Cruz, CA, and now with a bestselling book series, fashion line, punk rock music, and soon to be animated film, currently in development by Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and Bad Robot, empowering generations as the fiery, rebellious young girl who refuses to conform.
If you came of age in the late ’90s or early 2000s, you probably remember seeing her everywhere. A pale-faced girl in a black dress, surrounded by cats, staring out from stickers, notebooks, messenger bags, T-shirts, and bedroom walls. She wasn’t bubbly. In fact her whole attitude of not trying to fit in really comforted me at a time when I didn’t see a need to do anything with anyone fake. She was ok being a loner and she made me feel ok to make space for myself and my own needs.
Book Details
Chronicle Books published the very first Emily the Strange in 2001 and now, twenty-five years later, will put forth an expanded reissue with a new afterword and sixteen pages of new content.
EMILY THE STRANGE: 25th Anniversary Edition (on-sale: August 25, 2026) is the ultimate goth girl summer adventure featuring the razor-sharp-witted, moody teen and her four sinister black kitties, which remain an inspiration to the snark in all of us.
Anyway if you know anyone who loves things like Netflix’s Wednesday, Stranger Things, or Hilda, you should get this book. Emily the Strange resonates with people from all walks of life and all ages, including teens, young adults, and their parents. This edition allows readers to look back on life’s most important lessons and introduce the next generation to Emily’s barbed humor and fiery spirit.
An Icon for the Weird and Unusual
Emily wasn’t selling perfection. She was celebrating weirdness. And THATS what draws people in. She has left a lasting impact on me personally. So much so that I named my youngest daughter after her. And my story isn’t the only one. She’s been helping the strange and unusual for a long time.
Again, the EMILY THE STRANGE: 25th Anniversary Edition goes on sale August 25th. Make sure you get your pre-order in today!
