Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes books manage to speak literal volumes both about human nature in the real world, and about the depth of the author's imagination, even though they have one page plots. Calvin is both typical and unique, real and exaggerated. He takes his audience along with him when he imagines visiting alien planets, prehistoric eras, and flights of fancy in which he is anyone and anything, and can do whatever he wants. Calvin's antics appeal to a wide range of people since he sometimes acts like a goofy six-year-old, and sometimes spits out words you don't learn until you go to college. He's got an imagination that can turn his teacher into a cruel alien jailer or a sandbox into another planet. He's an annoying kid, a superhero, and a sophisticated means of commenting on the world in general. The visual humor is terriffic, and the dialog is often extremely witty, particularly when you throw in Hobbes, the stuffed tiger who's really real (sometimes). My favorite Hobbes line [don't forget to visualize his eyes rolling]: "Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding." Books by Bill Watterson(O=own, R=read, E=enjoyed)
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