Charles Schulz

Children's Literature

Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the entire Peanuts gang have tickled the funny bones of generations of children—young and old alike. Whether in the Sunday comic strips or on a TV holiday special, these animated characters have entertained us and taught us the value of looking at the world through a child's eyes. The creator of these beloved characters, Charles Schulz, is the subject of this addition to the "Children's Authors" series. Chapter by chapter, Woods provides highlights of Schulz' life and chronicles how a young man turned his daydreams into a successful career. Even as a child, Charles Schulz loved to draw comic book characters. Through discipline, art courses and a lot of hard work, Schulz eventually created a syndicated cartoon that millions of readers around the world would read and love. Illustrated with photographs and a few cartoon sketches, this short biography is engaging and readable. It could easily be used to introduce young readers to the biography genre; for older readers, this is an excellent example of how one can turn a hobby into a career. 2000, ABDO, $19.92. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Leah Hanson

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4-Most youngsters know Schulz and Seuss, if not by name, then by the books and characters they have created. Woods's titles are attractive in format and readers will learn the meaning of terms such as "scholarship," "Peabody Award," "syndicate," and even "fussbudget." Glossary words are highlighted in bold letters throughout the texts. Average-quality, full-color photographs appear on every spread. Schulz is shown receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1996, and Seuss is depicted shooting a film for the army in World War II. Both titles will be useful as more and more classrooms integrate author studies into the curriculum.-Susan Knell, Pittsburg State University, KS Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.