Two Wonderful Comic Book Series

Two comic book series kids (and parents) will love!  I'm a huge advocate of let them read what they want to read-- comics, magazines, newspaper sports pages, anything that will keep them interested and entertained.  These are two wonderful, funny comic book series that I enjoy just as much as my son.

We just discovered the very funny Big Nate series written by Lincoln Pierce. What started off as a newspaper comic, Pierce has now turned into a book series with text interspersed with comics.  The characters are lively and fun and completely relatable to kids.  Nate gets in all kinds of trouble--the kind of trouble kids love to read about, but not have to endure themselves.  Nate is in middle school, but my eight year old has loved these books.  Often compared to Diary of a Wimpy Kid, I am not surprised at Big Nate's success.  I do find Nate a bit more endearing than Greg, he's so charming it's hard not to like him.

The first book in the series is selected comic strips originally published in newspapers, Big Nate From the Top.  The next books in the series are: Big Nate in a class By Himself, Big Nate Strikes Again and Big Nate out Loud.  There is also a comic strip collection: I Smell a Pop Quiz and a book titled Big Nate Boredom Buster: Super Scribbles, Cool Comix and Lots of Laughs (this is more of a how to book with doodles, secret codes and comics where the reader fills in the blanks.)

Calvin and Hobbes is a hilarious cartoon written by Bill Watterson. Watterson published the daily strip from 1985-1995.  I loved this series as a kid and was pleasantly surprised when my 8 year old became obsessed with these wonderful comic books.  I love books kids can't put down!  Calvin is an incorrigible 7ish year old boy who has wonderful adventures with his tiger Hobbes.  He, like Nate, is one of those kids constantly in trouble, but that you can't help but love. His world includes his parents, his neighbor Suzie, the bully at school Moe and his teacher Mrs. Wormwood. Calvin's vivid imagination comes to life with his alter-egos Spaceman Spiff and Stupendous man.  If you have never read Calvin and Hobbes you will love it just as much as your kids!