Charles M. Schulz: Cartoonist and Creator of Peanuts

Influential Lives

by Michael A. Schuman

A biography of the artist whose "Li'l Folks" turned into the most successful comic strip of all time, "Peanuts," including how his characters reflected events in his own life.

128 pages, Library Binding

First published March 1, 2002

Reviews

[N Family · Rating 4 out of 5]

3rd Grade girl says: I liked this book because I love Peanuts and it has mini-comic strips and talks about the comic strips and how they were made. I also liked this book because I never learned much about Charles Schultz but then when I found a book about him, I thought it would be fun to have a book about him. I was so amazed by how many facts there were and how exciting his life was. I would recommend this book for everyone that knows how to read chapter books.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite a few parts of this book brought tears to my eyes. Although Charles had gone from a high school student who flunked almost every class to a successful and well-loved cartoonist, he also had a complicated way of thinking. He was painfully shy and almost always feeling empty inside. I wouldn't doubt that losing his mom at a young age, feeling a lot of loneliness while in the army, and being rejected by a woman he proposed to had a lot to do with it.

Some interesting things I learned is that he had another comic strip before Peanuts was thought of called Lil Folks. And he actually hated the name Peanuts for his comic strip, but it was too late for him to do anything about it. Also, he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Cried at the part where he was diagnosed with cancer and ended up dying in his sleep! Poor guy! 😢