Manga Biographies: Charles M. Schulz - The Creator of Snoopy and Peanuts

角川まんが学習シリーズ まんが人物伝 [Kadokawa Manga Gakushu Shirizu Manga Jinbutsu-den]

by 久木 ゆづる, Yuzuru Kuki, Mari Morimoto (Translator)

Charles M. Schulz is the creator of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Woodstock, and many more wonderful characters who inhabit the world of Peanuts. Now, learn how a shy, young Schulz first became a cartoonist and how he spent nearly 50 years drawing the beloved newspaper comic strip which has captivated the hearts of readers worldwide. The Manga Biographies series explores the fascinating lives of legendary figures who accomplished extraordinary feats, all told through the fantastic lens of Japanese manga storytelling.

Genres: Manga, Biography, Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, History, Graphic Novels Comics, Historical

159 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2024

About the author

See also: Yuzuru Kuki

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick portrait of Charles M. Schulz and a light history of the Peanuts comic strip.

I prefer Funny Things: A Comic Strip Biography of Charles M. Schulz, but this has its merits, especially the upbeat tone and the cute, fluffy art.


Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.


FOR REFERENCE:

Contents: The Times in Which Schulz Lived -- The Major Characters -- Chapter 1. A Future Cartoonist . . . and a Great One at That! -- Chapter 2. Work, Love, Comics, & More Comics! -- Chapter 3. Hello, Peanuts! -- Chapter 4. Every Day, for Fifty Years -- Schulz in Real Life -- Treasure Discovered -- Get to Know Peanuts! -- 11 Peanuts Secrets -- Amazing Things about Those Who Supported Him! -- Best 3 Quotes -- Timeline -- The Legend's Portrait Studio -- Map of the Life of Charles M. Schulz

[Katelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute manga detailing the personal life of Charles Schulz and his career as the creator of Peanuts. This manga made me realize how much I knew about the comic but not its creator. A fascinating and quick read. Illustrations were great!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy.

[EmyAttorney · Rating 3 out of 5]

One thing you need to know about me? I LOVE Peanuts. I own a vintage Woodstock stuffed toy wearing Christmas pyjamas, for God's sake. So I knew I just HAD to read this manga biography of Charles M. Schulz!
I quite enjoyed this sweet, somewhat romanticized recounting of Schulz's life, which was pretty exhaustive. I will say it was a bit too straightforward and earnest for it to read like a true to history biography, but the ending did get me to tear up a bit, so it was definitely successful. The art was also very nice.
I'd definitely recommend this book to younger Peanuts readers who might be curious about the author, and to superfans who can't help but consume anything and everything Snoopy & Co.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Sharni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came to the Peanuts comics long after they’d stopped being published - my Mum is a big Snoopy fan. I’ve always loved grumpy Lucy - she used to be on the labels of the peanut butter we bought. I’m new to manga style biographies but I really enjoyed this, it lays out Charles “Sparky” Schulz life in a simple manner, concentrating on his major milestones both at work and with family. I especially enjoyed learning how diligent he was, and how far in advance he completed his work - he never grew out of being anxious about being late.

Thanks to Netgalley and to the publisher, Udon Entertainment for a review copy.

[Chyanne Diaries · Rating 5 out of 5]

By one of the cutest books I have ever read. I’m familiar with mangas so reading it in a different format than the one I’m used to was not that big of a hassle. But it was nice reading about Schulz’s life and seeing how the famous animations of Peanuts came about. It’s still a popular cartoon and it all started because a boy had a dream of becoming a famous cartoonist. This is just a reminder to keep shooting for the stars.

[Freddie🏳️‍⚧️🐀 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute. I couldn't help but smile a bit as an aspiring cartoonist who is also VERY shy. I was like haha he's just like me fr fr. I think everyone loves Peanuts so it's hard to not enjoy this.
Will say a manga is a bizarre medium to talk about American comics in. Especially since there's a few instances were right to left Peanuts strips are featured with left to right manga panels, it tripped me up once.
It does feel very short though, speeding through his life in one little manga. By the time the comic got to him as an old man I was like geez already. I will say it doesn't feel like merely an illustrated Wikipedia article. As the manga does read more as an actual life story, albeit a very condensed version. It has a lot of heart at least and the manga celebrates a love of "Sparky" and his comic, and comic art in general!

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute manga biography of Charles M Schultz. A great book for Peanuts lovers and people who want to learn more about Charles and his popular comic book. This one was perfect for younger readers, this version made it easier and more fun to read.
Thank you to netGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute read! It's a pretty straightforward, brief history of Schulz's life, but it still taught me some facts that I was previously unaware of. I also really enjoyed the art; the manga style really seems to fit in this context. Any fan of Schulz and the Peanuts gang should have this in their collection!!

[Vale ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing,
the drawings are really cute and the story is really beautiful.
it traces the whole life of Chales Schulz and the birth of peanuts.
beautiful beautiful beautiful

I highly recommend it

[Librarian Jessie (BibliophileRoses) · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a children/preteen bio I think this is absolutely adorable!

[emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

local legend !!!

[Jen Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was quite difficult reading a book from right to left lol

[Caitlyn G · Rating 4 out of 5]

sped through things very quickly but I enjoyed! charles m schulz was such a talented man and was so hardworking, the part where they said he died before his last comic hit the stands, I cried

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is a fitting tribute to the beloved cartoonist of Peanuts, who is admired as US’ most famous and, imo, talented ever.

This is a manga book, so it’s read from right to left, and I think Schulz, as a fan of the comics almost since birth, would appreciate the nod to the other side of the globe’s approach to the popular medium. His nickname Sparky, as an example, is from a newspaper comic at the time, and was bestowed to Charles two days after his birth.

I can’t say I learned anything new about Schulz’ life from this as I’ve read several bios about him throughout the years, but the manga treatment was fun and original. Fans will love the many, many reprints of Schulz’ work throughout the book; some are hard to read, but those are there to indicate style or historical place although it would have been nice to be able to read them.

Nice depictions of the Schulz family (something that I didn’t recall so much in the bios,) and the holy grail of Sparky’s lovelorn pursuit of elusive little red-haired as his one unachievable goal features prominently, making this a true hero’s journey.

[Rachel Feeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

For kids and adults. Based on historical facts, this bio chronicles the entire life of Charles Schulz in cute manga illustrations, from early childhood to first success and everything that came after. I don’t read a lot of biographies, manga or otherwise, but I was hooked from beginning to end. The journey to publish Peanuts wasn’t short or easy, and even after the first success, Schulz’s story is an example of perseverance which resulted in thousands of comics. Mentions of historic events also give it grounding in history, and I even learned a bit about the Apollo missions.

Fans of Peanuts will love the end pages with photos and bonus facts.

**Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to review in partnership with YABC. See YABooksCentral for more reviews!**

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this seemed a bit of an oddity at first, this was a really compelling overview of the life of one of my favourite comic creators!

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a big soft spot in my heart for anything related to the 'Peanuts' comic strip, and for Charles M. Schulz as a creator, so I was happy I got a chance to read "Manga Biographies: Charles M. Schulz - The Creator of Snoopy and Peanuts" by Yuzuru Kuki, and ended up finishing it in a single afternoon. The book starts with a little introductory info on Schulz and the 'Peanuts' characters before beginning to tell his story as a shy, socially anxious kid who grew up loving reading and drawing comics, and who also had a special bond with his childhood dog Spike.

It pretty much covers Schulz's entire life, from his early childhood experiences and him serving in WWII, to achieving his dream of becoming a cartoonist, his work process, his inspirations, his divorce, how he found love again at 50, and his special connection with his fans. There's also lots of interesting, and often touching, trivia included, like Snoopy and Charlie Brown's historical ties to the Apollo 11 moon landing, and the fact that 'Snoopy' is the name that his mum suggested they give their next dog, before she died.

The Manga biography of Charles M. Schulz is more or less tailored for younger readers, but can honestly be enjoyed by anyone who loves Schulz and his work. Much like the 'Peanuts' comics, the book is endearing and charming, but not saccharine, it doesn't gloss over things like the loss of his mother, the way the Second World War affected him, the failures and rejections that came before 'Peanuts' was eventually picked up, or his struggle with anxiety and depression. I loved both the unique approach of telling Schulz’s story through the manga medium, and the way it serves as a sincere tribute to both the creator himself and his work.

It may not include every detail the way a full-on written biography would, but after finishing this manga one will certainly have a pretty good idea about who Charles Schulz was and how much of himself he poured into all of his characters, as well as how his life experiences, the people he cared about, his personal mental health struggles, his perspective on sadness, loneliness, hopefulness, and his intentional rejection of cynicism were reflected in his work.

Big thank you to UDON Entertainment for giving me a review copy.

[Nitoy Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everybody loves Snoopy and the Peanuts gang! All over the world they are a household name. And you'll definitely love this manga biography of the creator! It's a celebration of the life of the Charles M. Schulz and his beloved comic strip. From his childhood to his death, you'll get to know "Sparky". Him creating Peanuts gets the cake here. I like the flow of the story. It's a brief book so scenes of his parents passing away are swift ones leaving just a sprinkle of emotion. His divorce, surgery and death are not highlighted enough. It's more focus of his joy and success is more on the spotlight. Still an enjoyable read.

I do related to Sparky because like him, I'm an introvert too. There are moments in the comics when those "introvertness" kicks in that (specially the ones with Donna and how he abhor the name "Peanuts") I can find myself in that.

The artwork really fits with the story. It a Josei style, nothing exaggerated or crowded. It's clean and minimal but eye catching. I would like to mentioned how cool they include some Peanuts strips in the later part of the story.

Stay for the extra features in this book is superb because it's reeking with more trivia and photos that you might not read on the manga. If you're wondering about the hospital Schulz did the mural (which was in the manga), then it is featured in this bonus material and many more. You'll really enjoy this whether you're a fan of Peanuts or not. So I can say this is highly recommend!

[Raj Bowers-Racine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute manga biography of an underrated (for real) cartoonist.
That being said, it was clearly written under the watchful eye of the Schulz estate. So the really interesting parts of have been glossed over.
Also weird that the mangaka is credited basically nowhere on the book. Only on the copyright page in the very back.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review in Booklist Magazine.

Read more graphic novel reviews at The Graphic Library.

[Schizanthus Nerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born on 26 November 1922, Charles ‘Sparky’ Schulz grew up to become one of the world’s most famous cartoonists. A childhood love of comic strips led Charles to creating Peanuts, which ran for 17,897 strips.



Charles was so dedicated to his work that he finished the weekday strips six weeks before their deadline and the Sunday strips ten weeks before theirs. He took his first vacation at 75! Yes, he worked during the vacation. He couldn’t help himself.

I’ve known Snoopy my whole life. The first stuffed toy I was given when I was a baby was Snoopy. One of my only childhood books that came with me into adulthood is a much loved Peanuts paperback. I learned what the characters sounded like watching It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown when I was a kid. One of my favourite cross stitches is of Lucy and her ‘the doctor is in’ sign.

Charlie Brown is a boy who never loses hope, no matter how disheartened he is.

Whenever I see a book collecting Peanuts strips, I am compelled to read it. The characters feel like childhood friends at this point but this is the first time I’ve spent time with them in a manga. It’s also the first time I’ve been introduced to the man behind the characters and I’ve got to say, I’m a fan!



I absolutely loved finding connections between Charles’ life and his characters. Charles’ childhood dog, Spike, became the inspiration for Snoopy. The mother of his childhood friend, Shermy, played Beethoven on the piano. Charles was unlucky when he was a kid. When he taught at the art school he graduated from, Charles’ coworkers included Linus and Charlie Brown. His first love became the inspiration for the red haired girl.

I’m keen to read a biography to learn even more about him.

Fun fact: Snoopy’s birthday is 10 August.

I wasn’t expecting to get all misty eyed reading about the creator of some of my all time favourite kids (and Snoopy) but the end got to me.

Charles announced his retirement on 14 December 1999. The final Sunday strip was published on 13 February 2000. Charles died in his sleep a few hours before it hit the stands.

I had the thought that the creator and creation were so intertwined after so many decades that they couldn’t live without each other. It struck me as so sad and strangely beautiful at the same time.

That’s what Charles M. Schulz spent his life creating … a comic strip that showed the ups and downs of life, love, and friendship.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and UDON Entertainment for the opportunity to read this manga.

Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yuzuru Kuki's use of manga to tell the life story of one of America's most beloved cartoonists will enchant fans of Schulz, may also lead to a new generation of readers of Peanuts books.

This simplified biography about Charles M. Schulz, from his childhood through his death includes many of the challenges he overcame in life to become the great success he was. Although not from a rich family, his parents supported him both financially and emotionally which set him on a path to success in creating comics. His loves and family, his insecurities and shyness, his awards and influence, and his success in becoming the comic strip featured in the most syndicated newspapers. I found it interesting that there is a strong focus on his fear of rejection. Other interesting tidbits include the source of names for his characters and who they were modeled after.

The book opens with 16 slick full-color pages. (It would have been amazing to see the whole book in full color, though probably cost-prohibitive.) Readers are introduced to 3 major events that played a part in Schulz's life and comics, his family, main characters in Peanuts and their relationships, a sample 4-panel sketch, Schulz interacting with a fan, finally jumping into the narrative of his life. Kuki points out that though the events are true, he has created some of the dialog for people in Schulz's life, making this a mix of fiction and nonfiction. Found alongside the manga artwork telling Schulz's story are clippings from Peanuts comic strips. The selections are well-matched to what is going on in the narrative.

Backmatter includes some trivia about Schulz, details about Snoopy's evolution, 11 Peanuts secrets, more about his family, 3 most memorable quotes from the strips, a timeline of Schulz's life, and several photos of Schulz, and a map of the places he lived.

A breezy read, this will be enjoyed by reluctant readers and fans of comic books.

Highly Recommended for grades 4-8.

[Elizabeth Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up reading the funny papers. As a child, both my grandparents and parents subscribed to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. My grandparents subscribed to the daily paper; my parents subscribed to the weekend editions. My parents worked full time when I was a kid and subsequently I was taken over to my grandparents’ house at 5AM each morning. One of the first comics I would read was Peanuts.

I grew up with Charlie Brown and his dreams, his dreams of hitting the football that Lucy never allowed him to kick, yanking it away from him at the last second. His dreams of loving the red headed girl were (I think) never realized, if I remember right. However, he had a dog, Snoopy, and he had friends. That made all the difference.

When I scrolled through the list of upcoming books and saw Manga Biographies Charles M. Schultz, I shrieked with happiness. Not only could I review this, but I thought about the thousands of kids who might read this and decide to read Peanuts for themselves.

I have never read a manga before, but it was pretty easy to figure out you were supposed to read each page from right to left.

I had never really known Schultz’ story. It is amazing to me how they treat this biography as a little movie. It opens when he is a child, loving to draw, and hoping one day to become a newspaper comic writer and illustrator. We see the work he puts in every day and the challenges he has to face.

The illustrations in this manga pop off the page. You are inside Schultz’ life and you are seeing his triumphs and downfalls. I also found out the inspiration for each of the Peanuts characters.

This is TRULY a must read if you are a fan of Peanuts. I loved reading every page of this biography. I hope they publish other biographies with equally interesting people.

[Favour · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute little informational read about a cartoonist that has had a good amount of influence on me, as I currently own 6 pairs of Peanuts socks, a Peanuts jacket, and other assorted Peanuts accessories. I didn't grow up reading or watching Peanuts, but its prevalence in American culture made it a staple of my subconscious and led me to read this to learn more about the man behind the art.

On the art in the manga itself: it was fine, nothing amazing. Charles Schulz lived a largely ordinary life and wrote about largely ordinary things, so there wasn't much in the way showcase pieces. The progression of his age wasn't too jarring, although large swatches of his adulthood were skipped.

I wish they'd taken more time to get us acquainted with Schulz's various love interests. His first wife seemed like a very interesting woman and I would've liked to know more about how they spent nearly two decades together before divorcing. His second wife also seemed like a nice woman and a better fit, but not much work was put into explaining their dynamic. Additionally, I would've loved to read more about how copyright for the property traded hands, since the trivia at the end of the book noted that his family still owned the rights to the prototype comics, but some other corporation actually owned the Peanuts brand.

But anyways, not me crying over a biography about the creator of Peanuts. The writers of the manga wrote him to be this absolute sweetheart, and it really broke my heart each time someone close to him passed away, and when he passed away. I'd read his send-off letter before, but within the context of the rest of his life, it was all the more touching.

The samples of his original work were nice to read through and learning about the people who were the inspiration behind the Peanuts kids was nice. It's not the most thorough biography in the world, but I enjoyed it and am grateful I got to learn more about Charles Schulz.

[Royal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Manga Biographies: Charles M. Schulz The Creator of Snoopy and Peanuts is a heartwarming biography of Charles Schulz and his journey to becoming the famous cartoonist for the Peanuts comics. There is a disclaimer at the beginning that minor liberties were taken to make the story flow but it doesn’t detract from the story as well. It's my first time reading a manga biography, and I really liked it.

I really love all things Snoopy and Peanuts growing up, so I was excited to read this. The Peanuts comics is a worldwide phenomenon and much beloved in Japan, so this manga pays tribute to the beloved comics with its own style of manga art. The biography goes into detail on Schulz’s childhood, his trials and tribulations and how they reflect in his work, and the inspiration behind many of the Peanuts characters. It was also interestisng to connect together how many characters unrequited love within the Peanuts gang, and so much fun learning about the different facts about each of the main characters (like how much the artwork of Snoopy changed over the years to become the classic character we know and love today). After reading this biography, a lot of things made so much sense to me that I noticed while growing up. Like how Schulz helped create an ice arena in his hometown and how ice skating is prominently featured in the comics (and Knotts Berry Farm, especially during Christmas time!).

Overall, the artwork and story ties together really well for a touching and behind-the-scenes look of the world of Charles Schulz. A must read for any Peanuts fan.

Thank you to NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for providing an ARC for review.

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was trying to see if I could end the year 2024 with this, but nope, 2025 snuck up faster than I thought! (Also, I kept showing parts to my spouse, haha.)

I don't know. I definitely appreciate the effort, and it's a very respectful treatment of Schulz's life! It's just... I wouldn't have expected a *manga* of it! For one thing, it's a little confusing in places since the manga is right-to-left, but all of the Peanuts reproductions are left-to-right, so reading order is *completely reversed* in the middle of pages! This is normally bad design... "but how else would you handle this?" Well, by making it NOT a manga, maybe. Even a manhwa would be left-to-right, same as the "source" material.

Literal only thing wrong! (well, except that maybe all of these REAL PEOPLE are drawn *too cute*) Definitely a work of love dedicated to an inspirational creator, even if he had a difficult time believing it himself!

Note: I do have to wonder about the actual Charlie Brown whose name Schulz "borrowed." Certainly it's a more generic name, so I guess he *probably* isn't as upset about it as, say, Steve Erkel is.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Yuzuru Kuki, the editor, publisher, and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy!

“No problem is so big or so complicated that it can’t be run away from!” - Linus

It is no secret to those in my social circle that I love Peanuts—especially Snoopy (Schroder is a close second), of course. And yet, I am ashamed to admit that I didn’t know much about Schulz prior to receiving this ARC of “Manga Biographies: Charles M. Schulz - The Creator of Snoopy and Peanuts." I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was learning and being entertained—a feat that only so many can accomplish!

The art style is cute, and keeps the original style of Schulz’ art of the ‘Lil’ Kids’ and ‘Peanuts.’ I liked how expressive the characters were; I could feel all of Schulz’ triumphs, grief, and pain. I learned more about a series that I adore so much. Even the pacing felt appropriate, running through since birth to his untimely death. However, I was looking for more towards the end of the book, like an epilogue of sorts.

I’m still left wondering that if Schulz didn’t want anyone to pick up Peanuts, how is it that I’m collecting new strips every Sunday and saving them? I know money talks and Schulz isn’t here to enforce his decisions, but I also know that Peanuts makes people happy all over the world. Knowing what I know now about Schulz, I believe he’d treasure that above any dollar amount.

[Melissa Blizzard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a wonderful tribute to such an iconic and celebrated cartoonist! Charles M. Schulz was a wonderful and respectful son, a true friend, a loving husband, a dedicated father, and a supporter to all those who needed someone on their side listening to, encouraging, and rooting for them to improve and overcome their challenges and obstacles!

There were so many details about who Schulz was as a person and who he spent his time surrounded with. while reading this, I had so many memories of reading the Peanuts comic strips while growing up-- loving each frame and line of dialogue from these amazing characters! Little did I realize throughout those years that as I was reading and admiring these comics, Charles M. Schulz was busy at his desk still sketching them out and dreaming up new scenarios. When he underwent surgery in 1981 and drew the iconic snoopy wall mural, I was entering the world for the very first time. When he was retiring and saying goodbye to his readers and fans, I was busy studying to be a journalist and devotedly hanging onto every word our journalism and English professor was instilling upon us.

Thank you, Mr. Schulz for so many years of encouragement and joy and the ability to be brave enough to dream and embark upon new adventures!
Thank you to the authors and publishers for this amazing tribute and allowing me to read an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

The journey has been amazing!

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never read Manga before but I am a huge fan of Snoopy and the Peanuts comic strip. I was very interested to learn more about Charles M. Schultz so i decided to check it out.i am so glad i did.

I loved the Manga format - it made what might have been a boring and tedious biography into something that is fun to read. You will lean about Charles M. Schultz’s life and the beginnings of the strip as well as his entire life. There are Peanuts comics sprinkled throughout the book which makes the journey even more appealing.

By reading this book, it is like meeting Charles M. Schultz. There are little tidbits of fascinating information, like fun facts that you will learn, such as how Snoopy got his name and what he was almost called. When Mr. Schultz was in the hospital, he drew a mural on the wall of Snoopy and it has been preserved to this day.

I highly recommend this book to Manga fans, Peanuts lovers and anyone else interested in the life of a legendary cartoonist. The Manga format is a great way to appeal to a wider audience and I hope there are more Manga biographies like it in the future.

Thank you to Udon Entertainment/Manga Biographies and NetGallery for an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

For this and other bookish content, visit www.bargain-sleuth.com

Thanks to Udon Entertainment and NetGalley for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What a lovely, lovely book. For generations of young people who may have never seen Charlie Brown and the gang, or maybe those who have, this Manga biography of Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz is a don’t miss. From the illustrations to the story itself, it was a hit!

You may know the story of Charles M. Schulz: a boy who loved drawing, served in WWII, went to art school, had an unrequited love, and slowly but surely, built up his skills as an artist to get his own daily comic named Peanuts. The book lovingly shows the sadness, shyness and anxiety that Schulz felt all his life in a relatable way and shows that it is possible to have a good and successful life despite those issues.

I thought the personal matters regarding Schulz’s first marriage and divorce were handled well, as were many important events in the Peanuts timeline, showing how Snoopy originally walked on four legs. This is a respectful and wonderful tribute to a true artist, whose works live on today.