After Dr Seuss, my favourite author who both writes clever rhymes and draws brilliant cartoons is Shel Silverstein. I didn’t know about him growing up, although he was writing books and silly rhymes in the 1960s when I was little. It wasn’t until I had children of my own that someone gave me a copy of A Light in the Attic to read to them. From that moment, I was hooked!
Something Missing, from A Light in the Attic ©1981
This has got to be my favourite Shel Silverstein poem, not only because it’s so funny but also because the poem is brilliantly written, leaving the reader to finish the final rhyme. I love the loose and exaggerated style of his pen and ink drawings, and it’s been really hard to choose which poems to show you here as there are so many good ones!
Me Stew from Where the Sidewalk Ends ©1974
Me Stew is another brilliant example of Shel’s clever poetry, which often involves eating. From the same collection you have little Melinda Mae who takes eighty-nine years to eat a whale, Hungry Mungry who eats the whole world and then starts nibbling on himself, and Peanut-Butter Sandwich in which the king gets his mouth stuck shut and even the fire brigade can’t unstick it!
The Farmer and the Queen from Where the Sidewalk Ends ©1974
This poem about a visit from the Queen is good fun, and I think the illustration really shows off Shel’s amazing skill at capturing the essence of both people and animals in a comical way. If you haven’t discovered the wonderful Shel Silverstein already, go and find some of his books right now!
The opening page from Anna’s award-winning comic, Bea and the Marshmallow Menace ©2012
Another budding cartoonist I am very fond of is my daughter Anna, who won the Reading Zone Picture Book Competition with this charming character Bea. I am always amazed at how she can draw with just a fine-tipped black pen, without even sketching it with a pencil first!
Bea and the Marshmallow Menace ©2012
As you can see, Bea is a sweet little character, but she has hidden powers…
Bea and the Marshmallow Menace ©2012
Anna has always loved drawing cartoons and she is especially good at conveying emotions on her characters’ faces. If you’re a keen cartoonist like Anna then perhaps this worksheet of Bea’s facial expressions will help you perfect your technique:
©Anna Rickards 2012
I think if you click on the image it should be possible to print it, and then you can practice your own cartoons. Have fun!
Lynne Rickards author 