What do you think?
Crabgrass #1
Crabgrass Comic Adventures
“They say you can’t go home again. But that’s because they haven’t discovered Crabgrass . (Yet.) Every strip is like a visit from your best friend in grade school. The one who always got you in trouble for laughing too loud.” –Brad Guigar, Creator of Evil Inc
Through its heartwarming, wry, and relatable comic episodes, Crabgrass explores the timeless subject of friendship between two boys growing up in the 1980s.
For best friends Kevin and Miles, each day is filled with adventure. When they aren't chasing the ice cream truck on their bikes or braving the coyote-filled woods armed with only a potato launcher, Kevin and Miles stretch out on a dock or beneath the shade of a tree, avoiding chores and watching the world go by. The two also help each other navigate adversity at school, avoiding bullies, falsifying disastrous report cards, and trying not to embarrass themselves too much in front of a crush. Through its heartwarming, wry, and relatable comic episodes set in the 1980s, Crabgrass explores the timeless subjects of friendship, imagination, and what it means to be a kid.
The humor, warmth, and innocence of Crabgrass will appeal to fans of classic comic strips like Calvin and Hobbes and Peanuts as well as readers of bestselling middle grade series like Phoebe and Her Unicorn and Big Nate .
Through its heartwarming, wry, and relatable comic episodes, Crabgrass explores the timeless subject of friendship between two boys growing up in the 1980s.
For best friends Kevin and Miles, each day is filled with adventure. When they aren't chasing the ice cream truck on their bikes or braving the coyote-filled woods armed with only a potato launcher, Kevin and Miles stretch out on a dock or beneath the shade of a tree, avoiding chores and watching the world go by. The two also help each other navigate adversity at school, avoiding bullies, falsifying disastrous report cards, and trying not to embarrass themselves too much in front of a crush. Through its heartwarming, wry, and relatable comic episodes set in the 1980s, Crabgrass explores the timeless subjects of friendship, imagination, and what it means to be a kid.
The humor, warmth, and innocence of Crabgrass will appeal to fans of classic comic strips like Calvin and Hobbes and Peanuts as well as readers of bestselling middle grade series like Phoebe and Her Unicorn and Big Nate .
192 pages, Paperback
Published September 27, 2022
About the author
Tauhid Bondia
3 books12 followersTauhid Bondia is a cartoonist and illustrator from Kentucky. His comics began appearing on Gocomics.com in 2019 and in newspapers in 2022 after being selected for distribution by Andrews McMeel. Crabgrass has also enjoyed a healthy following on various social media platforms and has been embraced by audiences of all ages.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
April 8, 2023
Sooooo underrated!!!! I love these two kids so much! They are so honest and will have you ROFL 💕💕💕💕
July 18, 2022
Oh my, Crabgrass was such a wonderful read and Miles and Kevin are so hilarious. The story is loosely based on the authors own childhood friendship, and I absolutely adored the 80's vibes. I could immediately relate to these two boys, just a wonderful trip down memory lane pre internet. All the fun parts of growing up, the blow-up swimming pool, Saturday morning cartoons, ice-cream trucks and making a treasure map. Iconic things like the atomic ball challenge, trying to stab a Capri Sun with one of those pointy straws (do they still make these) and playing the floor is Lava game. I love the imagination of these boys, the moments where they're trying to jump their bikes across a ravine or even when Kevin's squabbling with his siblings. The book is filled with these playful four panel full color comic strip illustrations, some spanning one page with a few longer story arcs that continue across four or more pages. This is the kind of comic strip that you read if you want a good laugh and will totally leave you with a smile on your face. I really liked Kevin's mom too and especially when she said, "Sweetie, I'm a mother of four. Losing track of one is as close as I get to a vacation." Just hilarious. It's as sweet as Calvin and Hobbes, and defiantly exudes warm fuzzy feelings. Just love the friendship of these two boys, who may have different lived experiences but show that they have a lot that they can learn from one another. **A huge thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing for the E-ARC **
April 27, 2024
I wouldn’t normally review a comic book but this was just so funny. My kids usually grab Garfield off the shelf, and I’ll usually chuckle at one or two of the comics out of the whole book. This was hilarious throughout.
Read
April 17, 2025super funny i love how adult jokes get mixed in with the kids jokes, spoiler alert== for example the kids think they are too smart to fall for a magic trick, so they think one of the boy's dad is a wizard
September 20, 2022
Friendship...with all of its amazing moments and not so amazing ones...bursts through with adventure, discovery, and humor pure, reminding readers how unforgettably wonderful it truly is.
The author begins with a quick foreword, which grounds this series back into the 1980's and exposes the main thrust behind these pages: friendship and every remarkable (and unexpected_ moment that means for a pair of boys in middle school. So, while this one is definitely set for middle grade readers, adults will quickly find themselves smirking and snorting as they relive moments from the childhood, too. The humor crosses that generation threshold and promises laughs from all ages.
Kevin and Miles are quite the pair and have the entire world neighborhood as their playground. Their adventurous spirit, never-ending ideas, and imagination bring endless possibilities...even when most don't end up quite the way they'd hoped. Most of the 'adventures' are super short and sweet, hitting only a page or two, and leaving with a snort or laugh, and tons of heart-warming nods. It's a read to pick up, put down, and grab up again, never knowing what the two will do next.
The illustrations are bright, bold, and let the twists of reality versus expectation hit full force with a tad bit more to make the humor sit. The characters' expressions meet at the right times to jab in the last needed impact, and make them seem like the kid next door.
Fans of Big Nate will want to take a peek into Crabgrass, too, because if these two ever came together...yeah, that'd be every boy's dream and parent's nightmare.
The author begins with a quick foreword, which grounds this series back into the 1980's and exposes the main thrust behind these pages: friendship and every remarkable (and unexpected_ moment that means for a pair of boys in middle school. So, while this one is definitely set for middle grade readers, adults will quickly find themselves smirking and snorting as they relive moments from the childhood, too. The humor crosses that generation threshold and promises laughs from all ages.
Kevin and Miles are quite the pair and have the entire world neighborhood as their playground. Their adventurous spirit, never-ending ideas, and imagination bring endless possibilities...even when most don't end up quite the way they'd hoped. Most of the 'adventures' are super short and sweet, hitting only a page or two, and leaving with a snort or laugh, and tons of heart-warming nods. It's a read to pick up, put down, and grab up again, never knowing what the two will do next.
The illustrations are bright, bold, and let the twists of reality versus expectation hit full force with a tad bit more to make the humor sit. The characters' expressions meet at the right times to jab in the last needed impact, and make them seem like the kid next door.
Fans of Big Nate will want to take a peek into Crabgrass, too, because if these two ever came together...yeah, that'd be every boy's dream and parent's nightmare.
October 17, 2022
I love Crabgrass. My sister got me hooked by sending me links in Instagram, but after enough of the standard social media B.S., and missing a few comics, I retuned to that ancient tech we once called an RSS reader. :)
When we heard about the book being released, my sister immediately ordered it for herself and me.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the adventures of Miles and Kevin. I love the absence of technology, and I didn't realize until I'd read the forward that Bondia set the comic in the 80s/90s. Maybe this is why I like it so much; those are my formative years.
Like all of the comics I hold dear to my heart, Crabgrass reminds me of Calvin and Hobbes. A lot of depth is hidden by the story’s comic format.
When we heard about the book being released, my sister immediately ordered it for herself and me.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the adventures of Miles and Kevin. I love the absence of technology, and I didn't realize until I'd read the forward that Bondia set the comic in the 80s/90s. Maybe this is why I like it so much; those are my formative years.
Like all of the comics I hold dear to my heart, Crabgrass reminds me of Calvin and Hobbes. A lot of depth is hidden by the story’s comic format.
January 10, 2023
Overall, a fun, cute compilation of comics about two bestfriends. Was surprised at the blackface joke; even more, that it happened twice. But it could be an innocent joke a kid might make. I knew a child that once thought black moms had "chocolate" milk. So yeah.
Still, I like the humor and the art style. There are even a few moments of depth (like, the absence of a parent; deadbeat; threat of divorce; a friendless bully; being judged by appearance, etc) that don't take away from any of the lightheartedness.
The setting is supposed to be a time before iphones and tablets. Back when Saturday morning cartoons reigned supreme and streaming wasn't a thing. Despite the timeframe, it will still be relevant to today's kids.
Still, I like the humor and the art style. There are even a few moments of depth (like, the absence of a parent; deadbeat; threat of divorce; a friendless bully; being judged by appearance, etc) that don't take away from any of the lightheartedness.
The setting is supposed to be a time before iphones and tablets. Back when Saturday morning cartoons reigned supreme and streaming wasn't a thing. Despite the timeframe, it will still be relevant to today's kids.
February 1, 2024
This book is a compilation of comic strips about two best friends Kevin and Miles growing up in the 80s. I loved the art style and basically everything else about this graphic novel. I had a good laugh reading this book and it left me with a smile after every page.
I would 100% recommend this to anyone who is into graphic novels or to anyone who is looking for a light read.
I would 100% recommend this to anyone who is into graphic novels or to anyone who is looking for a light read.
November 12, 2022
Copy provided by the Publisher
When Miles and his family move into Kevin's neighborhood, they quickly become fast friends, even though they are very different. Miles is an only child of fairly strict parents who does well in school and is fairly cautious. Kevin is being raised by a single mother along with an older brother, twin sister, and baby brother, and embraces life in the exuberant way tweens often do. The two plan a hideout, have a blow up pool in the backyard, and try dangerous stunts on their bicycles. In one arc, Kevin tries to prank Miles by putting a firecreacker in his sandwich, which is intercepted by misunderstood class bully Maxine, who then challenges him to a fight. The adults in the Crabgrass world exist to ruin fun for the boys (isn't that we all do?), but this doesn't stop them from trying. I've never seen this strip, which looks to be fairly new; when I looked up to strip on Go Comics, the one for today was in the book! The full color panels and fun illustrations will make this a big hit with my students, and I'd love to see my local newspaper pick this strip up. I learned a lot, including that the secret to grilled cheese is HAM instead of bread.
Strengths: There are not enough books about boys' friendship in the middle grade world, so it was fun to read a comic strip that focused on Miles and Kevin. They are very different people, but get along well, and bring out different sides of each other. Miles would probably never try to suck on an Atomic Fireball of his own accord, and Miles reminds Kevin that instead of spending all day hunting for a lucky four leaf clover, maybe he could just study for their math test. There are some story arcs that ring so true for tween boys-- Kevin finds his childhood stuffed toy, and has fond memories of it... but hte next minute the boys have it strapped to a model rocket to send into orbit. I'd love to see more of Kevin's twin sister, and see more of the boys' life at school. Definitely a fun read for a summer afternoon.
Weaknesses: Since this is based on the author's experiences growing up, it makes sense that Kevin is wearing a muscle shirt, but I can't tell you the last time I saw a boy wearing a sleeveless shirt at my school!
What I really think: Miles and Kevin would definitely sit at the same cafeteria table as Big Nate, and while Miles would bring out the better side of Nate, and and Kevin would get into entirely too much trouble together! I'll be watching this strip with interest, and would love to see a Notebook Novel by this author.
When Miles and his family move into Kevin's neighborhood, they quickly become fast friends, even though they are very different. Miles is an only child of fairly strict parents who does well in school and is fairly cautious. Kevin is being raised by a single mother along with an older brother, twin sister, and baby brother, and embraces life in the exuberant way tweens often do. The two plan a hideout, have a blow up pool in the backyard, and try dangerous stunts on their bicycles. In one arc, Kevin tries to prank Miles by putting a firecreacker in his sandwich, which is intercepted by misunderstood class bully Maxine, who then challenges him to a fight. The adults in the Crabgrass world exist to ruin fun for the boys (isn't that we all do?), but this doesn't stop them from trying. I've never seen this strip, which looks to be fairly new; when I looked up to strip on Go Comics, the one for today was in the book! The full color panels and fun illustrations will make this a big hit with my students, and I'd love to see my local newspaper pick this strip up. I learned a lot, including that the secret to grilled cheese is HAM instead of bread.
Strengths: There are not enough books about boys' friendship in the middle grade world, so it was fun to read a comic strip that focused on Miles and Kevin. They are very different people, but get along well, and bring out different sides of each other. Miles would probably never try to suck on an Atomic Fireball of his own accord, and Miles reminds Kevin that instead of spending all day hunting for a lucky four leaf clover, maybe he could just study for their math test. There are some story arcs that ring so true for tween boys-- Kevin finds his childhood stuffed toy, and has fond memories of it... but hte next minute the boys have it strapped to a model rocket to send into orbit. I'd love to see more of Kevin's twin sister, and see more of the boys' life at school. Definitely a fun read for a summer afternoon.
Weaknesses: Since this is based on the author's experiences growing up, it makes sense that Kevin is wearing a muscle shirt, but I can't tell you the last time I saw a boy wearing a sleeveless shirt at my school!
What I really think: Miles and Kevin would definitely sit at the same cafeteria table as Big Nate, and while Miles would bring out the better side of Nate, and and Kevin would get into entirely too much trouble together! I'll be watching this strip with interest, and would love to see a Notebook Novel by this author.
September 29, 2024
I love Crabgrass so much! I follow the comic as it's posted online, and I have grown incredibly fond of Miles' and Kevin's adventures.
Normally, I'm not a major comic person, but there is something so refreshing about the innocent childhood goofiness this comic offers. Both boys seem like they should be so different: Miles as the straight A good kid only child and Kevin as the troublemaker one of four from a financially struggling family. However, they click so wonderfully, and I really appreciate how Tauhid Bondia both allows them to have plenty of shenanigans while also tackling important issues in between (that camping arc ending!!).
While there are some longer arcs, I appreciate the collection of the one-off moments that both follow the previous set-ups and also build the world out. It's just so enjoyable!
If you need a light-hearted brain break with some endearing characters, definitely check out Crabgrass!
Normally, I'm not a major comic person, but there is something so refreshing about the innocent childhood goofiness this comic offers. Both boys seem like they should be so different: Miles as the straight A good kid only child and Kevin as the troublemaker one of four from a financially struggling family. However, they click so wonderfully, and I really appreciate how Tauhid Bondia both allows them to have plenty of shenanigans while also tackling important issues in between (that camping arc ending!!).
While there are some longer arcs, I appreciate the collection of the one-off moments that both follow the previous set-ups and also build the world out. It's just so enjoyable!
If you need a light-hearted brain break with some endearing characters, definitely check out Crabgrass!
June 16, 2022
Coming across as if it has all the intentions of being the next "Big Nate", this covers pretty much all the same ground – kids thinking they're hard done by, adults embarrassing them, that bit where you sell unhealthy snacks to raise school funds... A random-seeming jumble of one-shot cartoon yucks and longer-form pieces over several pages, it's all perfectly fine, but while it seeks something truly distinctive the feeling of deja vu is by far the biggest factor here. Still, I'm sure Big Nate never made me snort at a blackface joke.
November 6, 2025
This is a blast from the past. Set in the 1980's, before a lot of technology...it is essentially my childhood years. The art is crisp and great, with a little limited background (used when needed but often not rendered) this heartwarming good old fun time is a breath of fresh air. I want to applaud Tauhid Bondia for the great fun that is enclosed within these pages. I found myself chuckling, laughing and reminiscing over the "good ol days" of the 80's. Definitely age appropriate for young kids and big ones alike. Two innocent kids (Kevin and Miles) just enjoying youth and friendship.
September 26, 2022
So much of this graphic novel reminds me of Calvin and Hobbes. I know that probably feels sacrilegious to some to say that but the art-style is similar, it involves two friends having crazy antics, and it's hilarious. My husband and five-year-old saw me reading it and insisted on joining in. Soon all of us were laughing and my husband and I remarked that our five-year-old says/does a lot of the same things as Mike and Kevin. Great start and I really hope there is more in the future.
October 19, 2024
2024 bk 156. Pure chance (not Amazon's search engine) led me to this "new to me" cartoonist. The setting is in the years when I was a young teacher and I enjoyed the trip back to the time period, the 'new and exciting' and the awareness of how teachers were beginning more and more to grapple with the home problems brought to schools. I loved the two main characters - the rang with pure joy of being a kid and trying to figure out the world around them. Looking forward to book number 2.
October 8, 2022
Read the original comics on Instagram when the author first started creating them. I wasn't sure if he'd rework the art style of the first few comics to reflect the current style but for the book, you get the whole evolution. Really glad to get this in book form. Miles and Kevin have lots of heart.
October 31, 2022
A hilarious comic about two best friends, Kevin & Miles with appearances by their also awesome family members. I dragged out reading this book because I didn’t want it to end. I love following Crabgrass Comic on Instagram and this book was well worth the wait!
January 4, 2023
This was great. Similarities to Calvin and Hobbes, and I would have enjoyed reading this in the newspaper when I was a kid/middle schooler. My 11-year-old said, "This was funny," and he is a reluctant reader, so that's a win.
March 13, 2024
I wish I could rate this book higher. I don't know its possible to love something more. This was my childhood in every way. I really like that I'm a little Miles, and I'm a little Kevin. Anyone who wants to understand those of us who grew up in the 80s/90s needs to read this series.
March 17, 2024
First Crabgrass collection. Interesting to see the evolution of Tauhid Bondia’s artistic style over the years.
Kevin and Miles are fun characters. I’m looking forward to reading the next books, too.
Kevin and Miles are fun characters. I’m looking forward to reading the next books, too.
October 16, 2024
Love this series reminds me of when I was a kid. It is a touching comic about two best friends and the adventures they get into love the comic strip so was great to read some of the classic strips together in one volume.
October 18, 2025
The book description says for ages 8-12, I am 55, and I find it hilarious. That says more about the book than it does about me, and can be enjoyed by all ages.
If you can still remember being a kid, I strongly recommend buying this book.
If you can still remember being a kid, I strongly recommend buying this book.
Want to Read
May 6, 2022Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss.
September 28, 2022
Those who follow me know I have a fondness for the comic strips Phoebe and Her Unicorn and Wallace the Brave. Add Crabgrass to that short list of strips that are just too good to ignore.
September 29, 2022
This is sweet and funny and really enjoyable, and the treasure adventure made me feel way too much. Loved it!
November 3, 2022
Miles and Kevin are best friends who hang out together every day looking for a new adventure. Very funny,
December 16, 2022
My 8yo son and I both loved reading this book. It definitely reminded me of parts of my childhood (but which probably went over my son's head)
April 17, 2023
I first caught a glimpse of this strip when it started appearing in our local newspaper -- nice to have this little volume showing how it all started. Funny, with a lot of heart.
November 8, 2023
episodic and funny
December 20, 2023
A great new comic strip. Made me frequently laugh out loud.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews