Bibliofreakblog

Adventures in Cartooning by James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, and Alexis Frederick-Frost

Dewey Decimal System!  You have failed!  This book is in the wrong section.  Sure, it’s with the other books about cartoons and comics in the 740’s, but it should be with the YA section.  The reading ages is 4-8 for crying out loud!  

When I picked it up, I didn’t really care that it seemed like a YA book.  The reason I checked it out was because a few months ago, I transcribed an interview between Paul Constant, The Stranger’s book editor, and James Sturm, founder of The Center for Cartoon Studies.  

I found this to be a delightful introduction to cartooning.  It focuses less on how to draw and more on the structure of comics.  

It goes over things like panels, speech bubbles, persepctive, and why they’re important.  Meanwhile, there’s a story about a night, a horse, and a dragon.  I’d definitely recommend it for any kid interested in drawing or comics.
Buy Adventures in Cartooning: How to Turn Your Doodles Into Comics on Amazon

If you like this book/author, you might like:

(my reviews in blue)

Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud
Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels by Scott McCloud
Big Book of Cartooning by Bruce Blitz
Drawing Words and Writing Pictures: Making Comics: Manga, Graphic Novels, and Beyond by Jessica Abel and Matt Madden
The Power of Comics: History, Form and Culture by Randy Duncan 
Alan Moore’s Writing For Comics Volume 1 by Alan Moore
How to Draw Stupid and Other Essentials of Cartooning by Kyle Baker 

Other works by James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, and Alexis Frederick-Frost:

Adventures in Cartooning Activity Book

Other works by James Sturm:

Market Day
James Sturm’s America: God, Gold, and Golems
The Golem’s Mighty Swing

with Rich Tommasso:

Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow by Rich Tommaso

with Sarah Stewart Taylor and Ben Towle:

Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean by Ben Towle

with Guy Davis:

Fantastic Four Legends Volume 1: Unstable Molecules

Other works by Andrew Arnold:

none

Other works by Alexis Frederick-Frost:

none