Super Simple Cartooning for Kids

In an accessible drawing guide originally published in Spain, Curto walks readers through the basics of cartooning, covering topics that include testing out a variety of facial features, drawing heads from different angles, using hands to expressive effect, and introducing symbols used to denote movement, dizziness, and speed. As the book progresses, Curto moves from human characters to anthropomorphic flowers, fruit, stars, and various animals, all while encouraging children into individualize their artwork and think critically about what they are creating (“It’s important to give your characters a sense of movement, even if they are very simple”). Curto’s own cartoons underscore how easily doodles can be turned into characters, and a guide to comic book elements like dialogue balloons and panels offer young artists tools to turn their drawings into narratives. Ages 7–10. (Apr.)