Caricature Books

I love comic strips and I couldn't think of a better way to build my vocabulary than with cartoon strips. I spend a little time each day practicing and translating. ¡Es muy fabuloso!

Nothing beats a good context for picking up foreign language vocabulary. Many books simply push lists of words into the reader's head and hope that something catches to make the words stick. Unfortunately, rote memorization unaccompanied by usage typically results in horrificly low retention rates. This book has none zip nada of those problems. True, it includes lists of vocabulary words and lots of them. But the comics set it apart from other books that claim to expand one's vocabulary. Instead of sitting on a neuron impatiently waiting for an opportunity for use, the comics give the words a context. The word lists then becomes more of a map to help navigate the comics, and retention skyrockets.

The comics focus more on European Spanish (or Español Iberico) than American Spanish. Nonetheless, the word and phrase lists also include references and idioms unique to Latin American Spanish. Words and phrases not used in Latin American Spanish get an asterisk next to them, so it's easy to tell them apart. Regardless, this book will probably better suit those wanting to speak Spanish in Spain. But anyone learning Spanish can benefit greatly from it.

Probably the best way to get the most out of this book is to read all of the vocabulary for a particular comic first, then read that same comic a few times through to cement the words in memory. Repetition and context will fuel retention, and returning to previously read comics will yield surprising results. Some words will stick like paste on a first reading; others may take a few times through. Nonetheless, many rewards await those who read through the entire book more than a few times.

Lastly, this is not a beginner's Spanish book. It assumes much foreknowledge from the reader. Basic grammar and very basic vocabulary are not covered in any depth. Probably the best time to go through this book would be after completing a basic Spanish class or book (i.e., know more than just present indicative verb conjugation, sentence structure, same basic vocabulary, pronouns, etc.). The level of learning can best be described as beginner intermediate. Those in the advanced level will likely breeze through it. So get going, read some comics, and learn a load of Spanish words.

From the perspective of a Spanish teacher, this is a wonderful book to help build your Spanish vocabulary and comprehension.

The way the it's set up is: On one page there is a FULL page cartoon strip in color. There is a lot of dialogue, idioms, and basic vocabulary. One the opposite page is a list of vocabulary found in the comic strip in Spanish and English, divided into categories. The book is organized by cartoon title and topic. Some topics include: food & drink, money, travelling, etc. There are 30 cartoons in total, a well-organized table of contents, a glossary and a verb conjugation help section.

I definitely think this would be a great way to expand your knowledge (or your students' knowledge) of Spanish in a very interesting and humorous context.

The content is appropriate for high school and college level students, and for any level of study, although first and second year students would need help understanding the more complex structures.

I learned everyday English by reading a lot of comics and I always wanted a comic strip in Spanish. This book is exactly that and has a vocab reference for each strip. Great way to learn!

Teaching with cartoons, what a fine idea! Why are so many books so poorly executed.

My complaints here are small. I need my reading glasses for the small typeface, the cartoons are not from real comic strips (they are drawn just for this book), I find it a bit basic. Still, these are nit-picks, in general I like it. It builds thematic lexical sets.

The best cartoon book for Spanish students remains "Laugh 'n' Learn Spanish : Featuring the #1 Comic Strip "For Better or For Worse"

If everyone had seen this book, who'd ever sat at a "negotiating" table, trying to effect a "land for peace" deal between the Arabs and Israel, it is very possible, and even likely that those "negotiations" would have been halted before they began--recognized from the onset as an Arab ruse, in an effort to annihilate the Jewish people.

In this volume, Arieh Stav presents offers a graphic collection of the anti-Jewish hatred rife within the mainstream Arab press. You read correctly: that's government controlled newspapers in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Libya, and so on....

These cartoons, such as they are, mimic the quality of Nazi anti-Semitism, so virulent as to embed a genocidal intent, no a genocidal hope, within the general populace.

What is perhaps most remarkable about these graphics, in fact, is that the people at the "negotiating tables" throughout the past 30 years have not been aware of them--and that the mainstream press has willfully chosen to ignore their existence, preferring as a matter of course to blame all the Middle East's ills on the Jewish people and Israel, than to recognize the real root of the problem--ancient Islamic anti-Semitism, predating, and more virulent, than even that of Europe.

It is indeed frightening, so much so that it takes courage to look, and speak or write the truth about the intensity of this ingrained cultural and Islamic religious hatred.

--Alyssa A. Lappen

The book is a compilation of graphic Arab declarations of war against Israel and Jews everywhere. It is an insightful and sobering look into the Arab psyche. It also shows how the state-controlled Arab press harkens back to Nazi defamation of all things jewish.

"Peace: The Arabian Caricature, is a shocking message to those of us who truly wish for peace in the Middle East. On the one hand, the Arabs talk peace, on the other hand, their newspapers are filled with disturbing images of Jews and the State of Israel. It makes one wonder where we're really headed. This book is very enlightening!"

Daniel Ardel - Jerusalem

Peace The Arabian Caricature.

Arieh Stav presents here an extremely disturbing, moving, horrific insight into the indoctrination of hatred towards the Jews so prevalent in official Arab nations. It is a real stain on humanity that so little has changed behind the scenes since the days of the Holocaust.

Drawing on countless official, published sources, we are presented here with a shocking study of the virulent anti-Semitic doctrine hidden behind official Arab Government policies and one is left to wonder what real chance there is for any peace settlement in the Middle East.

It is clear from the sources here that whilst portraying to the West the acceptable face of pursuing peace with the Jewish state, the official state controlled media of most if not all the Arab world reveals a completely different agenda.

The official portrayal of the entire Jewish people, not only their political leadership, is subjected to a deep-rooted theological, moral, racial and political negation. It's very nature is shown by Arieh Stav from official sources to be parallel to that of the German/Nazi era. See it for yourself. It unbelievably presents the individual Jew and the race as a whole as an object of hatred, vilification and physical extermination.

I was stunned to see the images portrayed here. I knew the Islamic and Arab hatred of the Jews to be considerable, but I never knew it was as bad as this.

This book can only be recommended in the highest manner, if for nothing more than to open the eyes of the international community to what is going on behind the scenes in the Middle East and to show ultimately what the Jewish state is up against. I am not Jewish and it frightens me.

As Stav makes claim in the text of this volume Arab caricature is different than other caricature. It does not pick out an individual but rather it aims to demonize and call for the destruction of a whole people. It is also unique in that it spreads across twenty- one countries. In fact I am afraid today if Stav wished to put out a 'companion volume' he would find much in most of the fifty- five Islamic nations of the world along the same lines.
This is truly frightening. A whole culture is devoted to ridiculing , dehumanizing demonizing and destroying a people.

This book is the best learning book ever! You get deatils on how to make your project come out great! I would totally recommend this book to all woodcarvers. Thanks!

I got a lot of enjoyment out of carving this character. Mr. Stetson's
instructions and the step-by-step photos are easy to follow and you will be proud of the result. One caution: Mr. Stetson's old man has an over-the-horizon fixed stare that doesn't look natural. And so did my copy. Use care when you set the head. I made mine a fly-swatter to carry and now he seems to have a reason for staring at the ceiling!

I have most if not all of the caricature carving books and in my opinion this is one of the two best. Highly recommended.

I am a novice carver and so have several books on wood carving. I clearly understood this well written book. The illustrations/photos are excellent and support the text well. I have a few friends who want to borrow it. I told them to buy their own at Amazon.

Dave Stetson is probably one of the top caricature carvers in the nation. He views the world around him in a unique way. His approach to teaching woodcarving stems from a desire to teach the student beyond the project, to enable the student to be more creative and carve on his own. This book allows the student to do that. The explanations are concise, with step by step photos and explanations. The photo gallery has a wonderfully diverse subject matter. And Dave's style of teaching is loaded with humor. It's a great addition to my woodcarving book library.

This book shows a lot about making comic {books or strips.} My name is Joe. My partner, Adam and I run a small comic book business called JARRtoons, and this book helped our business a lot.

Sincerly,
Joseph

This book shows alot about making comic {books or strips.} My name is Joe. I and my partner, Adam, run a small comic book business .......and this book helped our business alot.

This book shows alot about making comic{books or strips.}My name is Joe Rood Watkins.Me and my partner, Adam Ross Ledoux run a small comic book business called JARRtoons, and this book helped our business alot.

sincerly,
Joseph

This Book is a great sequence to the Cartoon Book. This book teaches young artists how to shade, shadow, use cliches, More lettering,Cliche Situations, Onomatopoeias, HATCHING, Sillhoutes,much much more

"Millions of us have loved B. Kliban's Cat for a couple of decades now, ever since we were first introduced to the frolicky feline in the mid 1970s through the now-classic book 'Cat.' Kliban's Cat is one of the most beloved icons of popular culture. The drawings and paintings Kliban created have lost none of the appeal that first grabbed us back then and that continues to grab initiates today.

"CatDreams brings together the joyfully mesmerizing paintings Kliban executed for a series of calendars first published between 1977 and 1981 and juxtaposes them with many of his irresistible cartoon drawings. A keepsake volume that generations of Cat lovers--and soon-to-be Cat-lovers--will bask in for years to come, it is the first full-color book to compile all of Kliban's calendar paintings, allowing us, at last, to keep all our Cats under one roof. ¶ 96 pages, size: 10.25 x 8.25". 84 full-color painting reproductions and cartoons. Smythe-sewn paperback book with flaps."--© Pomegranate

When I was a grad student and T.A. in the '70s, I had on the wall of my office Kliban's "Love to eat them mousies" poster, which frequently caused passersby to stop in for a closer look. Some laughed while others just shook their heads -- which is pretty much how people have always reacted to what I regard as one of the slyest, most consistently funny cartoon artists around. While he did a lot of terrific non-cat drawings, it's for those chunky, funky cats that he's best known, and this collection should please his many fans. They're all here, too: Cats in red basketball shoes and cowboy boots, cats walking their dogs, cats pursuing mice on cross-country skis, cats feeding wieners to the birds in the park, sumo cats, cats enjoying sushi, disorganized cats competing with mice in outrigger canoes, cats playing Dixieland, cats trying on fashionable tail covers in a cat clothing store, cats painting murals, cats lounging around the campfire, and (of course) cats playing mousie-eating folksongs on the guitar. To put it simply, this is great stuff from a very talented man who died much before his time.

Absolutely fabulous collection of in-full-color surreal cat illustrations that are just plain dreamy. If you're more into the offbeat humor of Kliban's book than his signature artwork, this may not be the book for you; while some of the Kliban humor is there, the focus is definitely on the artwork. These "Catdreams" are simultaneously bizarre and calming. My personal favorites are the Astronaut Cat-Napping in Space, the "Hawaiiana-Cat," with flower & ukelele on the moonlit beach, and the cats having high-tea in the middle of winter. Essential item for anybody who is a fan of Kliban and/or cats.

Pomegranate has done a wonderful job of gathering all of Kliban's paintings from a series of calendars that were published from 1977-1986 and presenting them here in full color for the first time. A true treasure trove for any Kliban fan or cat lover.

I love this book. It's so honest about what it's like to be a kid, the good the bad and the ugly. Love the types of moms and dads, the stuff about growing up at every age. "Your Childhood Trauma Checklist" is the best. I think I never knew that anyone else felt this way before I saw this book!

After a while Bongo, the young rabbit that Matt Groening insists on drawing with ony one ear (I think the left one is right) really creeps me out after a while. I prefer to get my insolent wisdom from Binky or even Akbar and Jeff, but Bongo shows up in the fast majority of the 48 cartoons from Groening's syndicated "Life is Hell" comic circa 1983-1988. The actual "Childhood is Hell" maxi-series consists of 25 chapters specifically intended to teach kids about wising up before it is too late, starting with "Tips for Tots" and providing sage advise for being all you can be for kids at odd ages 1 (Wily) through 9 (Naughty), with 10 (Twisted) thrown in for good measure. There are also several one panel cartoons, including two that totally capture the Christmas spirit that parents will find useful at before and after the opening of presents (show the little kiddies that Santa is not the only one who knows exactly what they are thinking in their warped little minds). As is the case with the more famous Matt Groening creation, "The Simpsons," the sad truth is that "Childhood is Hell" is too good for those who are still experiencing that particular state of arrested development. But unlike Bart and company, Binky, Bongo, Sheba and the rest of the gang are all wallowing much more in the depth of despair. However, if you are actually part of the age group that is intended to benefit from the weird wisdom collected within these pages, do follow the instructions provided on the back cover: read this book under the covers late at night with a secret flashlight and a bowl of ice cream for nourishment. But even if your Mom does not catch you remember that childhood is hell and none of us get out of it alive.

This book in the life is hell series is a great parady of childhood.I am 40 years old and this book brought back memories I forgot that I ever had of being a kid.Every page is full of #%&@s and giggles!!If you are a fan of kids and old memories of childhood past? you will enjoy every page of this Mat Groening satire.

I first bought this book in the eight grade and Matt Groening's wry humor got me to understand that I wasn't the only kid with these problems; and that when you think about it, it's all pretty funny. I still have have my original copy and evey other "Life is Hell" book. An early fan has become a life-long fan! EXCELLENT! :)

I've had this book for years and still cannot bring myself to pass it on to Goodwill. It's somehow perfect both from parents' and kids' perspectives. One of my favorite cartoons is the contents page from Understanding Your Parents: one listing is Why Do They Not Know Anything?

This is a really funny book. All of the cartoons are funny. Great for anyone who has kids or just wants a good laugh.

Just reread Childproof for the dozenth time and it still makes me laugh out loud. Roz Chast is always surprising and always hilarious.

A collection of Roz Chast cartoons about parents and children, featuring, for instance, "bad mom" trading cards, and America's Ten Most Wanted babies. You may even learn a few things, such as games to play during a long road trip with children- suggest the "quiet as a mouse" game - the first one who makes a peep loses. Great gift for parents and/or Roz Chast fans.

This book was way cool! I have been a fan of Steven's art for a few years now and all of his work is great. Devilboy is a really cool character he's my hero for now... And the story about the old woman in the shoe is great. I recommend this book to anyone who has a great twisted sense of humor. You will definatley enjoy it!

This book was great! I have been a fan of Steven's art for a few years now and really like his work. I have shown the book to a few close friends and they are looking forward getting their own copy. Check out [publisher's website] for other cool stuff like T-Shirts.

I first stumbled across Steven's work on the internet while just messing around. The man is an incredible artist, and even better, he is sick in the head. I always loved the simple, strange child like style of Silverstein, but it never went quite far enough. Steven Vincent takes us over the edge and straight into the ground with a sickening splat. Illustrations that by themselves alone just make you laugh because you are either worried by them that much, or you are as sick as Vincent himself. His stories and rhymes will amuse anyone with a decent sense of humor, and will pleasantly offend anyone without one. All my friends I've shown his books to would gladly buy their own copies ... .

I have been a fan of Steven Vincents since he first started his website. I have everything he has published besides publishing several of his cartoons in my own magazine Hacker's Source: Gateway to Independent Horror.

This is one of his best. If you want lots of laughs and you have a great sense of humor you will also love this. When Steven told me he was selling here I had to come and share my love of his work with others who are not familiar with him. You will be 100 percent glad you ordered this and will come back looking for more.

Kids like to duplicate what they know, it helps them to connect to popular art. So this drawing book has 50 characters from popular cartoons for them to copy. They did a great job with the final art and the choice of characters from comic strips and comic books. You may need some basic skills before you try some of these. If you don't have these yet that's OK, we all have to startt somewhere. I might suggest you try Ed Emberly's books (like "the Big Green Drawing Book") or Mark Kistler's books or videos, the best places to start learning to draw. A book like this is more useful when you have some very basic drawing skills, then use a book like this to practice and hone your skills with.

I am 9 years old and love to draw. This book tells you how to draw a lot of famous cartoons. Some of the ones I like the best are PopEye, Flintstones and Scooby Doo. If you like to draw, you will enjoy this book.

I like this book because it has almost all those famous cartoons that you can barely get off the web.

The Lee Ames series of books are good if you already have the basics of drawing down and some minor artist skills. They show how to take your basic skills and make some neat stuff. But this book is basically 1 page to a cartoon star, and about 6 drawings on the page to get a completed look. For some simple ones it works but on others it gets a little tricky. No text instructions here, just the drawings which you are just copying. If you want to LEARN how to draw and get the basic skills first whether you are kid or an adult, the books by Jack Hamm and Ed Emberly are the best place to start. They can make anyone an artist. Then come back to books like Ames.

Very enjoyable, loving, entertaining and a definate for cat lovers. I just need to know where I can purchase the book?
Please email me that information. Thank you.

My brother and I fell on the ground laughing hysterically at the illustrations and captions--although this was 9 years ago
we still get a good laugh out of it. We almost got kicked out of the bookstore for disturbing the others.

As a life-long cat LOVER, I was suprised to find myself laughing hysterically at nearly every page in this book. The pictures and the light-hearted text are too cute and silly to be taken as malicious. The best advice - wait.

I got this book up at a used book store, I love it! It's hilarious, and I have to keep telling my mom not to let our siamese cat see it. It's one of my 3 books I always have on hand, and I read it all the time. My fave exits are turkey and microwave. Makes a good coffee table book, and a good gift, cat-lover or cat-hater. Just DON'T get any ideas! Have fun!