By Sara E. Hoffmann, School & Library Series Managing Editor
Calling all Garfield fans—and all fans of comics in general! Lerner and Paws, Inc. (the company behind everyone’s favorite orange feline) have published an exciting new book about comic strips and the elements that go into them, from characters and settings to plots and punchlines. And the best part? The information is peppered with hilarious jokes, asides, and snarky comments from Garfield himself!
With text by experienced comic book artist and art instructor Marco Finnegan, readers will learn how to choose characters for a comic strip, how to format a story in the context of a comic, how to decide where their comic will take place, and even how to letter a comic. Real-life examples abound in the form of comic strips featuring Garfield and his friends.
As an extra bonus, readers will find sidebars showing how to draw Garfield characters such as Odie, Nermal, and Arlene. A special back matter piece includes a five-step guide for drawing Garfield’s face like a professional. (This editor was able to follow along and draw a pretty good-looking Garfield—and, trust me, if I can, you can too!)
Rounding out the fun are a glossary, index, and Further Information section, including a link to Garfield’s Twitter page. (Warning: reading Garfield’s laugh-out-loud musings on lasagna, Mondays, naps, and coffee is very addicting.)
I hope you and the young readers in your life have as much fun with this book as I did editing it. It reminded me all over again why I love Garfield!
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