Sparky

June 14, 2010
Gherman (Ansel Adams: American Photographer) presents an insightful portrait of Peanuts creator Schulz. She uses a sincere though never heavy tone that will draw readers in, as will the facts and anecdotes she has selected about Schulz, who got the nickname Sparky before he was even a week old. From his boyhood as an only child who loved the funny papers (and to draw) to his later years as a successful cartoonist whose life was cut short by cancer, Schulz always found inspiration for his art in his personal life. Shermy, an early Peanuts character, was named for Schulz’s closest childhood friend; Schulz’s mother suggested the name Snoopy for a family dog; and Lucy has the energy and loud opinions of Schulz’s oldest daughter. Oh, and there really was a red-haired girl. The book’s design—the pages and fonts are a literal rainbow of hues (black ink is all but absent)—suits its contents and makes them all the more accessible. Family photographs are plentiful, but the element sure to be most appreciated by fans is the inclusion of numerous Peanuts comic strips. Ages 9–up.

August 1, 2010

Gr 5-9-Upon initial glance, this volume resembles a gift book with its multicolored pages and large font. However, the text flows beautifully and is organized into 11 clear chapters that highlight important events and people in Schulz's life that influenced his work. Many Peanuts characters, for instance, were based on actual people. There was the "Red-Haired Girl," who was based on the woman who turned down Shulz's marriage proposal. Lucy was based on the artist's ex-wife. While Gherman paints her subject in an overall positive light as an adoring father and artistic perfectionist, she doesn't shy away from more difficult topics such as his initial difficulty finding employment, his mother's death, and his divorce. Old comic strips, drawings, and photographs are interspersed throughout and provide lively and appropriate support for the biography. A great recreational read as well as an adequate source for reports.-Kim T. Ha, Elkridge Branch Library, MD

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2010
Grades 2-5 Peanuts has a good claim on being the quintessential comic strip, as universally recognizable and as comfortable to experience as the bond between a boy and his dog. Fittingly, in a comfortable and easy-to-read format, Sparky presents a portrait of a friendly man who accomplished his lifes dream of making people happy through a deep commitment to his craft and penchant for never giving up. Alternating each page of simple prose with photographs and reproductions of Schulzs work, Gherman makes it clear how the life of the solidly blue-collar, WWII veteran was always reflected in his work and how his own setbacks and perseverance created Charlie Brown, the most famous long-suffering optimist in history. Tracking the rise of Peanuts success from growing syndicated strip to award-winning television property, even younger readers will get a sense that a comic strip thats ostensibly humorous in nature must also offer human insighta sense of lifes disappointments and the power of imaginationto achieve the immortality of Schulzs beloved characters.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2010
Gherman's latest biography (Norman Rockwell: Storyteller with a Brush, Delicious: The Life and Art of Wayne Thiebaud) makes clear that Schulz's Peanuts comic strip reflected the cartoonist's life and his times. The bright design uses colors that recall the Sunday comics and incorporates archival photographs and Schulz's drawings. Gherman's genuine affection for her subject shines through the lively text. Bib., ind.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)