In Patrick McDonnell's animal-centric world, Earl, the dog, and Mooch, the cat, provide both postulations and punch lines, enlightenment and entertainment. They seem innocent, yet speak volumes. "Kids will immediately take to the funny-animals look of the strip," wrote Mark J. Estren in Virginia Parent, "but there's plenty here for adults, too." Indeed there is. From musings about friendship to the benefits of adopting shelter animals, these two and their furry pals hammer out the mammalian issues of the day.The late Charles Schulz described MUTTS: "I think the best new comic strip to come along has been MUTTS. . . . The little dog and cat are just innocent creatures, and all the characters are funny and fun to look at." MUTTS is a true classic.

    As with McDonnell's previous collections, the always-adorable Mooch and Earl can be counted on for hearty laughs and endearing moments as they share their pets'-eye views when "their peoples" are not around. In A Little Look-See, we learn through Earl and Mooch that yes, animals do practice those irresistible expressions that melt our hearts, and we witness a not-so-dignified debate over the age-old question of who is cuter: dogs or cats?The creative style and classic charm of Mutts earns McDonnell the admiration of loyal readers, prominent national organizations, and fellow cartoonists, as well as frequent comparisons to cartoon-strip greats such as Peanuts and Calvin and Hobbes. In 2000, McDonnell received the National Cartoonists Society's highest honor, the Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year for 1999. With a following that spans 20 countries, Mutts has also garnered notice internationally, winning Germany's prestigious Max & Moritz Award for best international comic strip. Go ahead and take A Little Look-See at the spectacular world of Mutts.

    But if there's one thing the two sides do agree on, it's that they love Patrick McDonnell's charming strip, Mutts.Mutts has won the devotion of animal lovers and comics readers across the land. Fans love the charming humor the talented McDonnell provides, as well as his one-of-a-kind artistic style that stands apart on the funny pages. Yesh! features Earl the dog, his pal Mooch the cat, and the plethora of other lovable animal regulars who pop in and out of their lives.Few people could conceive what animals are truly thinking until McDonnell gave us the antics and adventures of Earl and Mooch. In one series of strips, Earl reveals what pets think when their owners are late arriving home: ""I must ration my dinner...who knows how long it will need to last?...The day?...The week?...The next two minutes?"" His buddy Mooch declares after becoming stranded on top of a tree: ""I need to reassess my goals.""The delightful personalities of McDonnell's animal stars have won the hearts and acclaim of readers the world over. Veteran cartoonist Charles Schulz called Mutts one of the best strips ever. The strip earned the National Cartoonists Society's Comic Strip of the Year Award in 1996. In 1998, McDonnell captured the Swedish Academy of Comic Art's Award for Best International Comic Strip Artist. Yesh! celebrates the subtle humor and unparalleled style of a strip that hearkens back to the classic strips of yesteryear.

    Featured in sixty alternative weeklies and college newspapers, representing a combined readership of more than six million, Red Meat has a fervent and loyal fan base. Max Cannon also has an official Red Meat web site, which averages 30,000 page views per week. It was honored with a Cyber Star award from Virtual City magazine.

    Compiled and edited by Lee Lorenz, former art editor of The New Yorker and an acclaimed cartoonist in his own right, The Essential Cartoonists library is a celebration of this unique visual art form. Each volume focuses on one truly outstanding artist and features approximately 150 of the artist's best cartoons, as well as insight into background, influences, inspirations, working habits, and more. Launching the series: The Essential George Booth and The Essential Charles Barsotti. In Booth, Lorenz traces the career of this New Yorker icon. Known primarily for his unmistakable characters--Mr. Ferguson, the violin-playing Mrs. Rittenhouse, curmudgeons with their crazed dogs and unruly profusion of cats--Booth combines warmth, energy, quirkiness, and amazing detail. Like another famous Missourian, Mark Twain, Booth has never lost that flavor of small-town eccentricity--or the laugh-out-loud humor that defines his work.

    This book was made possible by a grant from the Xeric Foundation. The sequel, Curbside Boys, was published in 2002 by the award-winning Cleis Press, of San Francisco.