Review: The Essential Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

GoodReads

The Essential Calvin and Hobbes is an over-size anthology-type book including an original 16-page story and color Sunday cartoons.

Review

Calvin and Hobbes.  One boy and his toy tiger and the life they lead together.  It isn't a childish cartoon as you may suspect from the premise but really hits some of the big life and moral questions about growing up, responsibility, life and death and most importantly; avoiding bath times and eating vegetables at dinner time.

Not long ago I wrote a post of my new found love of Calvin and Hobbes so you may want to look at that as well as the rest of this review but suffice to say that I now believe everyone should have a Calvin and Hobbes book at home for those down in the dumps moments.  Guarantee cheering up reading.

This is a collection of comic strips that quite frankly is seer joy on the page.  It's funny, serious, sad and thoughtful and that's pretty magic to capture all in just one comic.  Calvin is an adventurous spirit and a smart kid at times who gets into trouble for his fun and at times gets away with it (those are more fun because what kid doesn't want to get away with some mischief).  Bill Watterson just *gets* what it's like to be care free and happy and perfectly places the ideas down on the page.

I was slow reading this collection in between other books because I wanted to enjoy it slowly and it's one of those books you can pick up and put down easily.  You can dip in and out of the story and it's a real cheer me up break from reality.  Funny and sweet and a little bit of heaven.  It takes you back to when you were little and your best friend was your soft toy and you'd go out and play in the park or sit around on Saturday mornings eating sugar cereal and watching cartoons.  Oh how I wish those days would return.

A perfect gift for someone this Christmas as well as a gift for your inner child.  Just buy it and thank me later....like I did for the person that told me to buy it.


Published by Sphere, an imprint of Little Brown, and is available here and bookshops now