The Cartoonists Club Raina Telgemeier, Scott McCloud

The Cartoonists Club Raina Telgemeier, Scott McCloud

book

2025, Children's Books, Growing Up & Facts of Life

WISE
94%

WISE Score

4.6

Amazon

Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud team up to teach kids how to make comics through a warm story about four creative misfits finding their voice.

Amazon4.6
Common Sense Media

Where to Read

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Screenwise Verdict

This is a home run for creative kids. Telgemeier and McCloud have created something rare: a book that teaches real skills while telling an emotionally resonant story about finding your people and your voice.

The four-character structure is smart—every creative kid will see themselves in at least one struggle, whether it's too many ideas with no structure, blank-page paralysis, crippling perfectionism, or just wanting to make stuff without overthinking it. And the club framework models exactly what creative kids need: a supportive community where different approaches are celebrated.

The how-to elements are genuinely useful without being textbook-dry, and the link to additional resources means motivated kids can keep learning. This isn't just entertainment—it's a creative toolkit wrapped in a warm hug. If your kid has ever doodled in the margins or talked about making their own stories, grab this.

Age Fit

Best for ages 8-14, especially kids who already love drawing, storytelling, or have devoured Raina Telgemeier's other books. The instructional elements require enough reading comprehension and creative interest to stay engaged, but the character struggles are universal enough for the full middle-grade range.

WISE Breakdown
Wholesome
92

Four kids with different creative struggles come together to support each other's artistic journeys. The book models kindness, cooperation, and emotional support—Makayla has ideas but struggles with structure, Howard faces parental dismissiveness, Lynda battles perfectionism, and Art just loves creating. The tone is warm and inclusive, celebrating different creative approaches without competition or meanness. Parent reviews on Common Sense Media call it 'perfect for artistic misfits coming together.'

Imaginative
95

This is essentially 'Understanding Comics for kids'—a meta-creative book that teaches kids how to make their own comics while telling a story about making comics. It blends how-to instruction with narrative, giving kids both inspiration and practical tools for their own storytelling. Multiple reviewers note it provides 'great information' alongside the story, and there's even a link to additional resources. It directly invites creative expression and hands-on making, not just passive consumption.

Safe
98

This is a children's book about making comics—no violence, no scary content, no inappropriate themes. The conflicts are internal and relational: struggling with ideas, dealing with a dismissive parent, fighting perfectionism. Common Sense Media gave it a positive review with no safety concerns flagged. The only mild tension is Howard's dad thinking comics are 'a waste of time,' which is actually a valuable, relatable conflict for creative kids. Zero surprise content.

Enriching
94

This book teaches actual comic-making skills while addressing real creative and emotional challenges kids face: idea generation, perfectionism, parental support (or lack thereof), and finding your creative voice. It's Scott McCloud—the author of Understanding Comics—collaborating with Raina Telgemeier, one of the most successful children's graphic novelists. Kids get both practical instruction and emotional validation. Recommended age range is 8-14, suggesting it has substance that grows with readers.

Parent Info

Why It Might Be Great

  • It's a how-to guide disguised as a friendship story—kids learn actual comic-making techniques while rooting for relatable characters
  • Addresses real creative struggles: idea blocks, perfectionism, unsupportive parents, and finding your artistic community
  • Scott McCloud (Understanding Comics legend) brings his teaching genius to a kid-friendly format with Telgemeier's warmth
  • Fresh off the press (April 2025) with a 4.6 Amazon rating and enthusiastic parent reviews
  • Includes links to additional resources, so the learning continues beyond the book

What to Watch For

  • Howard's dad dismisses comics as a 'waste of time'—could hit hard for kids with unsupportive parents, but it's handled gently and resolved positively
  • Lynda's perfectionism might resonate deeply (maybe too deeply) with anxious kids who already struggle with self-criticism
  • This is instructional—kids who want pure story might find the how-to elements slow, though most reviews suggest the balance works

Conversation Starters

  • "Which character do you relate to most—Makayla with too many ideas, Howard struggling to come up with any, Lynda focused on mistakes, or Art just having fun?"
  • "Have you ever felt like someone didn't take your creative work seriously? How did that feel?"
  • "What story would you tell if you made your own comic?"
  • "Do you think making mistakes is part of being creative, or something to avoid?"

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