1-2-3 Draw Cartoon Animals
Reviewed with other books by Steve Barr in the 1-2-3 Draw series.Gr. 2-5. Barr is stretching to make three how-to-draw books out of what surely could have been one. That's especially obvious inFacesandPeople(the first part ofPeopleis devoted to faces). Still, so many youngsters try their hand at drawing cartoons at one time or another that a little overlap probably won't matter. InPeople,Barr uses simple lines and shapes, mostly ovals and curved and straight lines, to show, step-by-step, how to create faces from the side and the front, add details such as hair, alter expressions to reflect emotion, attach a body, and depict walking and running.Faces,which also relies on basic shapes, expands a little on facial detailing, showing, for example, how to add glasses and create faces in three-quarter view.Animalsis a riot of critters that look just like stuffed toys. Barr sets down instructions--usually four or five simple steps--for drawing a bird, a cat, a dog, a horse, a bear, a turtle, and more. Of course, having fun and experimenting should be part of each project, something Barr emphasizes at the get-go and reiterates through each volume.Stephanie ZvirinCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved