My favorite books for kids to learn about cartooning

Why am I passionate about this?

My name is Art Roche and I've been drawing cartoons and comic strips for over twenty-five years. I wish everyone drew comics! Comic strips are an amazing art form that has been around for thousands of years. With a simple pencil, pen, and paper the artist can tell thrilling stories, make hilarious jokes, or illustrate their own diaries. Once you learn the basic mechanics of how comics are designed and built, anyone can begin drawing them regardless of talent level or experience.


I wrote...

Art for Kids: Comic Strips, 3: Create Your Own Comic Strips from Start to Finish

By Art Roche,

Book cover of Art for Kids: Comic Strips, 3: Create Your Own Comic Strips from Start to Finish

What is my book about?

I set out to create a book that demonstrates the actual process of creating a comic strip from start to finish. I wanted the reader to be able to feel confident about everything from drawing, to writing jokes, to creating characters. I’ve gotten great feedback about this book and young artists seem to really enjoy the artwork and the sample comic strip in the book, Galaxy Dog.

My other books include: Art for Kids: Cartooning Create Your Own Comic Strips from Start to Finish and The Knights of Boo’Gar. This book is a funny chapter book that features brave knights and princesses, enchanted turtles, monsters, and one very special goat.

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Blank Comic Book: Draw Your Own Comics

Art Roche Why did I love this book?

I really like this book because, while it doesn’t teach much about the actual drawing, it does give the young artist a jumpstart to begin drawing and telling their own stories. The authors include pages and pages of drawn-out panels with word balloons ready to go. I’ve always believed in letting kids find their own path with drawing style, and this book is perfect for that.

By Blank Comics,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Blank Comic Book as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Blank comic notebook for drawing your own comics

Hours of drawing and cartooning practice!

75 sheets/150 pages 4 different template styles Graph paper in the back of the book
Matte finish cover
Measures 8.5x11"

Great Gift For:

Homeschool students
Elementary grades preschool, k-2
Kids who love to create, draw and write Birthday present for teens Back to school supplies Christmas stocking stuffer Gift for art and design students and 

Book cover of How to Draw Cute Stuff

Art Roche Why did I love this book?

This book features a simple, modern art style that will be appealing to most young artists. It starts out with a nice introduction to drawing tools and basic shapes then moves on to drawing simple objects that can be found around the house. Character design and perspective are also covered and done so with a light, humorous tone. A very comprehensive guide to drawing and an excellent resource!

By Angela Nguyen,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How to Draw Cute Stuff as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 7, 8, 9, and 10.

What is this book about?

Enter Planet Cute—where kids can make any drawing absolutely adorable!
Draw anything and everything—people, animals, and things—and make it CUTE. It’s easy! Budding artists just have to pick up their pencils, pens, crayons, or gel markers and follow these step-by-step how-to sequences. They’ll learn the basics of Japanese kawaii, which emphasizes simple, rounded shapes; faces with large eyes and sweet expressions; and personifying inanimate objects. They’ll also master animals, mythical creatures, food, plants, vehicles, and more!


Book cover of Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art

Art Roche Why did I love this book?

This book is different. It’s a little more advanced and may be better for an artist who’s ten or eleven years old at least. The reason I love this book is that it really explains the history and science behind comics. What makes a good comic? How do panels work to tell a story? All of these things are covered in richly illustrated pages and diagrams. This book is a visual feast and a fantastic guide for the tween or teen beginner. I learned so much reading this book, and I had already been making comics for years!

By Scott McCloud,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked Understanding Comics as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The bestselling international classic on storytelling and visual communication "You must read this book." - Neil Gaiman Praised throughout the cartoon industry by such luminaries as Art Spiegelman, Matt Groening, and Will Eisner, Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics is a seminal examination of comics art: its rich history, surprising technical components, and major cultural significance. Explore the secret world between the panels, through the lines, and within the hidden symbols of a powerful but misunderstood art form.


Book cover of Let's Make Comics!: An Activity Book to Create, Write, and Draw Your Own Cartoons

Art Roche Why did I love this book?

The author of this book is a working cartoonist and illustrator and that makes this one of the best books out there. The book packs an immense amount of practical information about how to draw cartoons into easy, fun worksheet-style activities. Different styles of writing, as well as complex concepts, are communicated in simple visually striking lessons. I have to admit if I was giving a young artist a book (and they already had both of mine) I would definitely give them this book. It’s comprehensive, fun, and simple. It also allows the young artist room to draw in their own style, instead of copying a given drawing. That’s one of my pet peeves!

By Jess Smart Smiley,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Let's Make Comics! as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A light-hearted interactive guide to comics and cartoon-making that uses an activity book format and creatively stimulating prompts to teach the fundamentals of cartooning in a fun and easy-to-follow fashion.

From a working cartoonist and comic book making instructor, this all-ages activity book uses humorous and informative one-page comics and exercise prompts to guide young readers (and readers who are young at heart) through easy-to-master lessons on the skills needed to make comics. The activities cover a range of essential comics-making tasks from creating expressions for characters to filling in blank panels to creating original characters and placing them in…


Book cover of How To Draw Anime: Easy Learn To Draw Anime Characters Step By Step

Art Roche Why did I love this book?

This is an excellent, well-designed book for anyone wanting to improve their Anime style of drawing. Many of the young artists I talk to have an intense interest in drawing in this particular style, sometimes referred to as the “Anime” style. This cartoon-style features sharp lines and shapes with stark, colorful graphics. Although this book doesn’t get into much instruction on how to create comics, it does provide the artist with a starting place for drawing in the anime style. From there, the artists can take this knowledge and apply it to the comics that they create. The drawings in the lessons are very well done, and the content covers all the topics that make anime a unique drawing style. I highly recommend this book.

By Sophia Elizabeth,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How To Draw Anime as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Let’s spark your creative ability and let your passion run wild with this amazing How To Draw Anime book from Sophia Elizabeth!

This book will teach you how to draw anime step by step, with the easiest approach possible through simple shapes. Inside this wonderful drawing book, you can learn everything you need to know on how to create a perfect original anime character. This includes head, facial details, body proportions, facial emotions, clothing and even basic character models for you to try out. In other words, this book is a perfect head start for any anime-drawing enthusiast.

Aside from…


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Nemesis and the Vault of Lost Time

By PJ Davis,

Book cover of Nemesis and the Vault of Lost Time

PJ Davis

New book alert!

What is my book about?

Featured in "Best Middle Grade Fantasy Books" - Reedsy Discovery

"Fun & Fast Paced, This is Middle Grade Fantasy at its Best!" — Shaun Stevenson

"If you know any middle-grade readers who enjoy science fiction/fantasy with a mix of action, danger, and humor - recommend this book to them, or just go ahead and give them a copy." — The Fairview Review

“With elements of adventure, exploration, other worlds, and fantastical science, Nemesis and the Vault of Lost Time is an exciting middle-grade novel with plenty of suspense… Behind the adventure are important messages about believing in oneself and finding inner strength.” — The Children's Book Review

"The plot of Nemesis and The Vault of Lost Time is a tapestry of surprises characterized by its unforeseen twists and turns. It’s this element of suspense that grips the readers, while the vivid descriptions create immersive visual experiences. Beyond its adventurous core, this mystery novel delves into themes of friendship and the nuanced dynamics of father-son relationships, offering a multi-layered reading experience." — The Literary Titan

Nemesis and the Vault of Lost Time

By PJ Davis,

What is this book about?

Thirteen-year-old Max is a daydreamer. It gets him into trouble at school, but his restless curiosity really turns problematic when he runs into a mysterious professor at his uncle's bookstore.

The old man informs Max that time is being sucked out of the planet by invisible bandits, stolen from unsuspecting people one breath and one sneeze at a time, and is being stored in a central vault. Once full, the vault will fuel a hungry horde of invaders looking to cross into earth, and cross out all its people.

What's more, the professor claims he knew Max's missing scientist father.…


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