My son is a rather reluctant writer. I’ve tried lots of things to get him writing, from picking topics he’s interested in, to story-telling dice, with little success. (Actually, he likes the story-telling dice, but only to narrate stories rather than write them down).

This book was a great success, and got him telling a story with enthusiasm. I think it helps that it’s colourful and full of drawings, so that it feels more like a comic itself than like a textbook.

There are introductions to key ideas about comics such as speech bubbles and creating characters. There are drawing tips on creating memorable faces, and how to draw movement. The book works through so that you’re never left with a blank page and a “What do I do now?” problem. The activities start small and build up gradually so that they’re not too daunting. The topics are bite-size – usually a double-page spread per idea, so it’s easy to break into manageable pieces if your child won’t concentrate for too long in one sitting.

Your child writes/draws in the book, rather than needing separate paper. The boxes for the comics are already drawn in, so they just have to draw the characters. Basically, everything is made as easy as possible so that you can just get started.

I probably wouldn’t recommend the book for children who already draw comics regularly and want to build their skills – it’s starter-level rather than advanced. But if you have a child who wants to draw comics but doesn’t know where to start, or if you have a reluctant child and you’d like a fun introduction to story-telling, this would be a great resource.

Link (Amazon UK): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Write-Draw-Your-Own-Comics/dp/1409564258/