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Garfield: Does Pooky Need You?
Paperback
First published June 1, 1983
2 people are currently reading
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About the author
Jim Davis
2,347 books637 followersJames Robert "Jim" Davis is an American cartoonist who created the popular comic strip Garfield. Other comics that he has worked on are Tumbleweeds, Gnorm Gnat, Slapstick, and a strip about Mr. Potato Head.
Jim Davis was born in Fairmount, Indiana, near Marion, where he grew up on a small farm with his father James William Davis, mother Anna Catherine (Carter) Davis, brother Dave, and 25 cats. Davis' childhood on a farm parallels the life of his cartoon character Garfield's owner, Jon Arbuckle, who was also raised on a farm with his parents and a brother, Doc Boy. Jon, too, is a cartoonist, and also celebrates his birthday on July 28. Davis attended Ball State University. While attending Ball State, he became a member of the Theta Xi fraternity. He earned the dubious honor of earning one of the lowest cumulative grade point averages in the history of the university, an honor incidentally shared with Late Show host David Letterman.
Davis as of 2007 resides in Muncie, Indiana, where he and his staff produce Garfield under his company, Paws, Inc., begun in 1981. He was married to Carolyn, a singer and elementary teacher whom he met while both were attending college, and has a son named James with her. However, the couple divorced, and Davis since 2000 has been married to Jill, Paws' senior vice president of licensing, who has worked there approximately 25 years.
Ironically, Davis did not own cats when he started Garfield because of Carolyn's allergies, but they owned a Labrador retriever named Molly. With Jill, the family has expanded to include children Ashley and Chris; three grandchildren, Chloe, Carly and Cody; cats, Spunky and Nermal; and a dog, Pooky.
Jim Davis was born in Fairmount, Indiana, near Marion, where he grew up on a small farm with his father James William Davis, mother Anna Catherine (Carter) Davis, brother Dave, and 25 cats. Davis' childhood on a farm parallels the life of his cartoon character Garfield's owner, Jon Arbuckle, who was also raised on a farm with his parents and a brother, Doc Boy. Jon, too, is a cartoonist, and also celebrates his birthday on July 28. Davis attended Ball State University. While attending Ball State, he became a member of the Theta Xi fraternity. He earned the dubious honor of earning one of the lowest cumulative grade point averages in the history of the university, an honor incidentally shared with Late Show host David Letterman.
Davis as of 2007 resides in Muncie, Indiana, where he and his staff produce Garfield under his company, Paws, Inc., begun in 1981. He was married to Carolyn, a singer and elementary teacher whom he met while both were attending college, and has a son named James with her. However, the couple divorced, and Davis since 2000 has been married to Jill, Paws' senior vice president of licensing, who has worked there approximately 25 years.
Ironically, Davis did not own cats when he started Garfield because of Carolyn's allergies, but they owned a Labrador retriever named Molly. With Jill, the family has expanded to include children Ashley and Chris; three grandchildren, Chloe, Carly and Cody; cats, Spunky and Nermal; and a dog, Pooky.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 22, 2020
Funny as ever, but as an Icelander I always find the name Pooky a little strange for the teddybear because it sounds so alike the Icelandic word púki, which means little demon.
June 27, 2025
This was very funny, though the version I had didn't have any colour it was still very funny, would recommend to any Garfield fan
October 19, 2021
I had read a load of these Garfield books when I was younger, including this one. Found a copy in a charity shop and decided to re-read it. I am now on the hunt for more of them. So much fun.
July 16, 2025
Never really got to the point - like does pookie need me .. I don’t know .. I tried to find out but all that garf cares about is eating and sleeping. This book made me ponder the narcissistic qualities of Garfield and analyze his relationships and attatchment styles. Read this book in early janurary - mid February of 2025 and it was a good read. A nice distraction from my college workload. I checked this book out from the bracken library at ball state University:) they have a great collection of Garfield content in the basement. Additionally Jim Davis has lived in Muncie and bases his Garfield universe in that town. ;) at ball state there are original Garfield drawings from the original cartoon and it was amazing I had never seen anything like it. The images were so pigmented and perfect ready to be captured on film. OH AND ALSO there are some magnificent Garfield paintings on the fourth floor of the art and journalism building in the art office! You can politely ask to see and they will show you!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2017
Very entertaining
October 20, 2023
Picked up in a random box and sat down to enjoy. Daft humour for wry smiles isn’t a bad way to spend a Friday night
December 27, 2023
absolute banger
April 18, 2025
childhood classic
May 20, 2015
All the classic characters, except Odie, appear in this collection of the Garfield comic strips. Subjects of the cartoons touch on diet, coffee, Mondays (of course) and food (naturally). It also has the mouse living in the hollow tree cartoons, which is amongst my favourites.
If you like your humour short, sweet and sarcastic, then it's worth checking this out.
If you like your humour short, sweet and sarcastic, then it's worth checking this out.
April 14, 2011
Very lovely.
December 24, 2015
This is my favourite of the four Garfield books I own
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews