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53rd out of 326 books
—
304 voters
Adventures in Cartooning: How to Turn Your Doodles Into Comics
by
James Sturm,
Andrew Arnold, Alexis Frederick-Frost (Goodreads Author)
In this action-packed cartooning adventure, kids will have as much fun making comics as reading them!
Once upon a time . . . a princess tried to make a comic. And with the help of a magical cartooning elf, she learned how – well enough to draw her way out of an encounter with a dangerous dragon, near-death by drowning, and into her very own adventure! Like the princess
Paperback, 112 pages
Published
March 31st 2009
by First Second
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Too often a kid will walk into a library, ask for a book on drawing, and be taken to the requisite “How to Draw a [Blank:]” section on the shelves. These books are the usual standard fare. They all begin by saying you should draw a circle over another circle, etc. etc. Sometimes you’ll get something a little more high end like Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain and once in a while an old book on drawing comics will be stuck in between the books on the shelves, dilapidated and well worth repl...more
Sturm, J., Arnold, A., & Frederick-Frost, A. (2009). Adventures in Cartooning. New York: First Second
1596433698
109 Pages
Appetizer: First Second, one of the leading publishers for graphic novels for children has come out with this guide for making cartoons.
When a princess doesn't believe that she can draw well enough to make a cartoon, the Magic Cartooning Elf poofs onto the scene to prove that is not the case. The Magic Cartooning Elf accompanies a knight and his horse, Edward, to face a ca...more
1596433698
109 Pages
Appetizer: First Second, one of the leading publishers for graphic novels for children has come out with this guide for making cartoons.
When a princess doesn't believe that she can draw well enough to make a cartoon, the Magic Cartooning Elf poofs onto the scene to prove that is not the case. The Magic Cartooning Elf accompanies a knight and his horse, Edward, to face a ca...more
This is an informational book about how to make your own cartoons that is written in a graphic novel format, and incorporates the information along with a fantasy story of a knight looking to slay a dragon with his fairy guide and his trusty horse Edward, and a princess who ends up rescuing the knight. This book was pretty much amazing. It manages to seamlessly flow back and forth between the story and teaching the reader about structural and artistic elements of making comics. The informational...more
Adventures in Cartooning is an exciting and hilarious adventure story that is told with cartoons in a comic book style “graphic novel” form. It is about a missing princess and a brave knight who is determined to slay the deadly dragon that must have stolen her (you won’t believe where the princess turns up in the end). The eager knight’s quest is joined by a magic elf—the only problem is that the magic elf is more interested in teaching the knight (and you) all about comics than in helping defea...more
Spending the day in bed, having sent the BF off to rehearsal by himself. I'm exhausted, physically and mentally after an anxiety attack yesterday, and quite sick, so I figured under the covers was the best place for me. No energy to perform. I told BF to report that I was reading Stanislavski, but I ended up with Adentures in Cartooning.
This is a comic book - on how to draw comics.
It's meant for kids, and the book does contain a story, an action-filled story of a knight and her horse, which clev...more
This is a comic book - on how to draw comics.
It's meant for kids, and the book does contain a story, an action-filled story of a knight and her horse, which clev...more
This is a newly published (2009) graphic novel that is wonderful for early elementary students. The book caught my attention when one of my second graders checked the book our from our school library. The cover contains labels such as "motion lines", "word balloon", and "sound effect" that allow the reader to learn right away what they may see within the story. These labels are simply so the reader's level of comprehension can reach its potential.
This creative story is about a brave knight who...more
This creative story is about a brave knight who...more
Dec 13, 2011
Caitlin W.
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
animals,
comic-book,
friendship,
grade-1,
grade-2,
imagination,
magic,
nonfiction,
quests,
si-624,
grade-3,
grade-4,
grade-5,
how-to,
drawing,
knight,
dragon,
horse,
elf
Have you ever wanted to draw your own cartoon, but you were unsure of where to start and what some of the comic book conventions are? This book, a comic book itself, is a great guide for starting off making your own comics. It follows the adventures of a knight and his fat horse as they journey to find a bubble-gum-chewing dragon. Along the way, they are aided by a magical elf who knows all the rules to making comic books, and the examples they use to teach are wonderfully played out so that the...more
A delightful book that tells a story of a knight who wants to fight a dragon, so off he goes on his adventure but along the way a Magic Elf accompanies him and teaches him the art of cartooning. Illustrations are drawn in Ed Emberley style and Ed is given a nod for his inspiration at the back where instructions on how to draw the knight, elf and horse are given. Throughout the book cartooning lingo is introduced and the aspects that make up a comic: panels, bubbles, sound effects, etc. All withi...more
This distinctive informational picture book by the founder of the Center for Cartoon Studies introduces the basics of cartooning in the context of a very funny sequential story. Aided by a magical elf who introduces such comic essentials as thought balloons and font size, this original paperback chronicles the quest of an impatient knight and his long-suffering horse as they seek to rescue a princess—who saves them instead—from a candy-loving dragon. During this action-packed sojourn, panels wit...more
This book is adorable. I found myself almost reading the whole thing in the bookstore while deciding weather or not to get it for my daughter. I'm glad I did. She hasn't put it down, and drew her first little comic strip today.
This book isn't about teaching the art of how to draw. It's about the mechanics of making a comic and using that medium for story-telling. It does this by telling it's own story about a knight hunting a dragon with an elf tagging along that points out how the comic mechani...more
This book isn't about teaching the art of how to draw. It's about the mechanics of making a comic and using that medium for story-telling. It does this by telling it's own story about a knight hunting a dragon with an elf tagging along that points out how the comic mechani...more
Readers will enjoy the cartoon characters in this story as well as learn how to make their own comics. As the story progresses, a magical elf appears quite often to give advice on how to make the comic strip as you read! Essentially it only takes being able to draw simple pictures to be a cartoonist and the book will show the reader how to do it! I think this book will be very popular with students. I would read a portion of it aloud to peak interest in the title and then let students pour over...more
Looking for a way to introduce the world of graphic novels? The Adventures of Cartooning is the instruction manual to visual literacy. Carefully explaining vocabulary through words and images, all necessary words are covered: panels, gutters, tiers, stems, word balloons, and thought balloons. The authors (Strum, Arnold, & Fredrick-Frost) also explain how illustrators use strategies to demonstrate motion, volume, sound effects, size, and conversation. This informational text beings insight to...more
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Wow! GREAT book. The front cover fooled me at first, but it really is a graphic novel. The bonus is that it's also a cartooning how-to book. Very positive and encouraging for young readers to use their own great ideas to draw cartoons and write stories. The story is funny and has all the basic elements of a classic adveture quest. A fairy hangs around in the beginning and at the end to introduce readers to some of the techinal aspects of cartoons, but it in now way detracts from the story; it ad...more
I thought this was gonna be more along the lines of a true tutorial or a Scott McCloud -- here are people in comics talking about comics -- instead it felt more like here is how we can make the act of comic creation into a part of the story. And gulp, it felt a little gimmicky. Sorry Sturmyyyy, I know you were very well intentioned, and it's true, anyone's doodles can be turned into comics, but on their own terms, not yours, and I didn't feel like that was emphasized enough. Name it something el...more
Students and in particular boys like to express their humorous sense by drawing funniest characters. Therefore, Adventures in Cartooning is good and informative book to teach students to draw own cartoons. This book gives many children a hint to imagine and draw their characters in order to write their own stories. In addition, this book or story motivate them to read more and to be good writers. I personally, love this book and I brought it to my kids to learn how to draw.
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This was so cute and encouraging and informative! Recommended! It reminded me of Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art, but it was more entertaining and for a younger audience. If I had a child in my life between grades 2 and 6, I would gift this to them for their next birthday. It's got a nice story and sense of humor, plus it's subtly feminist.
Part fantasy adventure, part how-to book, Adventures in Cartooning is a great exploration of how and why comics work. On the way to slay a dragon, a rather overly excited knight is joined by a magical elf who helps him on his quest. On the way, the elf points out the nuts and bolts of comics, revealing how anyone can make a cartoon - not just super talented artists. This book is an immensely fun experience whether you want to be a comics artist or not!
This book was hilarious! I was cracking up at the jokes that pretty much make up the whole book. I love the way I learned something as well as enjoying the book. I don't know much about cartooning lingo, but I learned some basics from this book. Definitely a fun read. I think any fantasy reader who likes graphic novels will get a kick out it.. c'mon a fairy, a knight in shining armor, and a dragon? Definitely some winning characters right there.
I think Sturm is doing some of the most interesting work in comics these days, so I was curious to see what his take on the "introduction to cartooning for children" book would be. I was disappointed - he doesn't give you much to work with, and what little he does explain could have easily been gained from reading the Sunday comics carefully. I'm not surprised to see that the book grew out of an activity inspired by an Ed Emberley book.
Ubersimplified version of Making Comics. In fact, the story ends up overtaking the instructional elements, but I'm not sure that's a bad thing for the audience. Explains simple cartooning concepts. Elementary booktalk, perhaps. I just need to read more nonfic that isn't gn related. ;)
I saw a review of Adventures in Cartooning on BoingBoing and thought it would be a good primer for my current cartoon project. It turns out it's all stuff I already know, but it would be a great book for a kid who's interesting in cartooning. The information is presented in an engaging narrative about a knight trying to rescue a princess from a dragon.
If your child loves comics, would like to make comics, or wants to know what makes comics work, this title, beautifully designed in a paperback edition with French flaps, will lead the way. It’s also just a great how-to book because it breaks down drawing into its essential elements—lines, shapes, and colors.
Full review:
http://www.twentybyjenny.com/812Books...
Full review:
http://www.twentybyjenny.com/812Books...
"Adventures in Cartooning" is a wonderful introduction to cartooning for children (think Ed Emberley meets Scott McCloud with a dash of Matt Feazell). It doesn't have the copy me pit falls that most How To Draw books aimed at children have. Instead the author uses a fun story and a simple drawing style to inspire kids to use cartoons to create their own worlds and tell their own stories.
I wish a greater amount of instruction had been more fully integrated into the story pages rather than added as a "bonus feature" at the end, but I respect what the authors were trying to do. This will have a great deal of appeal, and even those pages that are not overtly demonstrating a composition element can serve as examples for aspiring artists to emulate.
A clever book that tells a fun story while explaining the cartooning process.
The story will appeal to younger readers while the cartooning process may have appeal for tweens and teens.
While the material is a bit juvenile that approach makes the material more accessible.
Notes
Presented by the Center for Cartoon Studies
Learning Curve
Low: Good for all ages.
The story will appeal to younger readers while the cartooning process may have appeal for tweens and teens.
While the material is a bit juvenile that approach makes the material more accessible.
Notes
Presented by the Center for Cartoon Studies
Learning Curve
Low: Good for all ages.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I wish I could buy a copy of this for all the little inspired cartoonists I know! A very clever 'story' which, step by step, page by page, tells you how to make a real cartoon book.
It would be a very successful way to let kids imaginations run wild, while giving them a chance to taste what a 'real' cartoonist does for a living, in order to produce a book. Yay for them!
Adventures in Cartooning: How to Turn Your Doodles into Comics by James Sturm was short listed for the middle grades graphic novels category for the 2009-2010 Cybils. There were a lot of excellent books on that short list and I think in a different year this book could have won.
The book uses the medium to teach the methods behind the medium. The focus is on the method of building a good story, not on drawing in a certain style. In fact the illustrations are done with stick figures and doodles ve...more
The book uses the medium to teach the methods behind the medium. The focus is on the method of building a good story, not on drawing in a certain style. In fact the illustrations are done with stick figures and doodles ve...more
Very fun and funny guide to basic cartooning for elementary kids. It teaches about panels, different kind of speech bubbles. It has everything a kid could want - candy is good, vegetables are bad, and a heroic princess. Will be a great addition to the falling apart drawing books in my library right now.
Told in the form of an adventure, this book is a great introduction to the forms of cartooning as well as a great tool for teaching visual literacy. The actual cartooning instruction is fairly slim with more of the focus on why certain forms exist in comics and their purpose. Great humor throughout.
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James Sturm is the author of several award-winning graphic novels for children and adults, including James Sturm’s America, Market Day, The Golem’s Mighty Swing and Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow. He is also the founder of the Center for Cartoon Studies and the National Association for Comics Art Educators. He created Adventures in Cartooning with collaborators Alexis Frederic-Frost and Andr...more
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Mar 27, 2009 08:41pm
Aug 01, 2012 06:54am