Kids draw anime

Gr. 4^-8. Granted, these aren't graphic novels, but they fit right in as many kids want to draw their own comics and create their own stories. By a familiar writer of how-to-draw books, these large-format paperbacks explain the basics of drawing in the style of anime (Japanese animated films) and manga (Japanese comics). Hart's enthusiastic approach energizes the texts, and both books are loaded with full-color illustrations that will surely attract readers. Kids, for the younger end of the audience range, moves quickly through the preliminaries of sketching "big-eye" characters' physical attributes, then goes on to demonstrate how to put figures in motion and, using a few successive drawings, how to create some typical characters. Kids who want detailed anime instructions will need to look elsewhere; those who just want some basics will find plenty here. Mech Mania, aimed at older readers with more art experience, focuses on the futuristic robots, vehicles, and weapons found in anime and manga scenes as well as in video games. From the blueprints for a spaceship to advice on showing characters in action or revealing a robot's mood through its posture, this dynamic book offers a useful mix of creative inspiration and practical advice. Hart ends with an informative interview with the art director of Microsoft's Fasa Studio. Slick, heavy paper, vibrant colors, and sharply defined lines in the finished illustrations add to the appeal and make these books sturdier than most paperbacks. --Carolyn PhelanRBBReviews

Gr 3-6-Hart supplies simple instructions for creating the distinctive eyes, exaggerated expressions, and dramatic poses that characterize Japanese-style cartoon figures. Intending to get budding artists off on the right foot, he shows how each body part and posture begins with basic geometric shapes and then, rather than furnish start-to-finish directions, he skips from the sketched outline to a finished, colored example. The brief captions mix practical advice, such as, "The neck isn't just plopped on the shoulders. It begins inside the body," with inspirational comments, and the book closes on a high note with pulse-elevating pictures of two large monsters and a general melee. Though this book never gets beyond the drawing of single figures, it makes a good start for serious beginners; more practiced young cartoonists looking for historical background, an extensive gallery of character types, or instruction in composition and page design will get more from Hart's Manga Mania (Watson-Guptill, 2001).-John Peters, New York Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.