Editorial Cartoons

In the highly charged 2008 presidential race, editorial cartoonists have hit the mother lode. Sometimes it's not the presidential candidates, though, that provide fodder for cartoonists...I can't wait to see what they do with today's article in the Union Leader about a local political fundraising scheme.

There is now a site available that would be perfect for teachers to use with students in studying editorial cartoons. It is the Dirksen Congressional Center. "The people who draw these cartoons possess a special art skill which often incorporates caricatures, symbolism, satire, and a well-rounded understanding of the issues about which they draw." Take a look around!

Contemporary cartoons from around the world may be found at Daryl Cagle's Professional Cartoonists Index. I take a look every few weeks when I need a laugh. I like the way the cartoons are sorted topically. You can also visit Political Cartoons, but that site is just too busy for me!


We have a book in our collection by Syd Hoff entitled, Editorial and Political Cartooning: From Earliest Times to the Present, With Over 700 examples from the Works of the World's Greatest Cartoonists [741.5 HOF]. Since it was written back in the 1970s, the "present," is now nearly ancient history! But, the book is still useful for its historical overview.