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Adventures in Cartooning: How to turn your doodles into comics!

Adventures in Cartooning: How to turn your doodles into comics!
by James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, and Alexis Frederick-Frost
109 pages
informational graphic novel
New York : First Second, 2009

Once upon a time there was a beautiful young princess who wanted to make her own comic book. She didn't know how to begin so the Magic Cartooning Elf came to her rescue. The story they create is filled with brave knights, nervous horses, greedy dragons, and a mischievous little elf. Throughout the story the elf informs the characters as well as the reader how to create their own comic book. Definitely a fun way to learn without it feeling like you are learning!

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