Cartooning Classes for Schools & Libraries
I'm Mark Anderson, and I have the best job in the world - I’m a cartoonist.
And while drawing funny pictures and writing jokes is fun, my favorite part of the job is getting to look at the world not necessarily as it is, but as it might be.
For example: What would a raccoon order at a restaurant? What might a pirate say to his therapist? And what if someone on trial brought their sousaphone along? (All actual cartoons I’ve done.)
In my cartooning classes, students will learn to see things differently too and explore:
- Problem solving
- Design thinking
- Individuality
- Curiosity
I’d love to come to your school or library and share not only a lot of fun, but also the benefits of seeing things differently.
All classes are available live at your location, or virtually via Zoom where I can accommodate entire schools at once!

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NEW for 2026! - Dewey Additions
The Dewey Decimal System is great, but there’s always room for expansion. Dinosaur ninjas? 1004.32. Princess robots? That’s 1344.11. Giant lizard opthamologists? 1274.94. Wait until you see what’s under 1313.13!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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NEW for 2026! - Food Fight
I know what you’re thinking. We’re going to draw characters throwing food. Nope! It’s weirder than that! We’re drawing anthropomorphic food having it out! Irritable ice cream! Mad meatloaf! Grumpy green beans! Don’t miss this!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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NEW for 2026! - Really Really Weird Sports
You think Pickleball is weird?! Try Cycleball! Sepak Takraw! Bartitsu! And even… I hesitate to say it… OK, prepare yourself... Fierljeppen! And we’re drawing them all!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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NEW for 2026! - Mesmerizing Monkeys
Yep, we’re drawing monkeys! Emperor Tamarins, Pygmy Marmosets, Proboscis, and the White-Faced Saki to name just a few!, So stop monkeying around, grab your prime-mate and come draw! It’s gonna be bananas!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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NEW for 2026! - Disingenuous Dinosaurs
Did you know every day scientists are discovering new and exciting heretofore unknown dinosaurs? It’s true! Is that what we’re drawing? No. I just made up a bunch of totally hilarious fake dinosaurs! Take that, science!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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NEW for 2026! - Space Plants!!!
We’re going to be drawing plants… IN SPAAAAAAACE! I know it sounds strange, but trust me, you are not ready for this class. I mean, just look at the title! Three exclamation points at the end! Three!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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NEW for 2026! - Cartoon Castoffs
Oh sure, there’s a lot of fun, popular, recognizable cartoon characters out there, but that’s not who we’re drawing. How about Greeney! Larry Loofah Loafers! Boo Boo La La! And Dog-Man-Dog! Sign up now!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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NEW for 2026! - Dungeon Escape
That’s right, we’re escaping a scary cartoon dungeon! That is of course unless you like dungeons. I mean, they’re not my thing, and if I’m in a dungeon I’m looking for a way out ASAP, but you do you I guess. In any case, sign up.
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Amazing New Animals!
OK, so maybe they’re not new, but they’re newly discovered and we’ll be drawing and learning all about them! I’m talking banded dragonfish, hylomys hedgehogs, and panda sea squirts to name just a few! They can’t wait to meet you!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Cartoon Escape Room
Oh no, we’re trapped in this weird cartoon room! Looks like we’ll have to look around for puzzles, draw some solutions, and hope that we’re clever enough to escape before the end of class! Help!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Super Strangely Familiar Character Brawl
Sure, we like popular characters too, but unfortunately we just can’t use them. So instead we’ll be drawing new, exciting, unfamiliar brawlers like Mustache Plumber, Kong Donkey, Peak Achoo, and Duchess Dragon Fruit! Don’t miss it!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Dragons, Krakens, and Unicorns, Oh My!
Here there be cartoon monsters! Dangerous dragons, kooky kraken, unruly unicorn, and maybe, just maybe, the oozlum bird will make an appearance. (Look it up!) Don’t miss this monstrously fun class!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Gnow Your Gnomes
Are you gnuts about gnomes? Then this class is a gno-brainer! Gnice gnomes, gnasty gnomes, gnervous gnomes, and gnoteworthy gnomes! Do gnot miss this gnifty class!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Reptile Roundup
Kids will learn to draw strange, weird, and downright bizarre reptiles like the giant soft-shell turtle, the ornate flying snake, the thorny devil, and the rhinoceros iguana! This is cold-blooded cartooning at its best!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Princesses vs. Ninjas
Normally this would be a clever paragraph with silly puns and alliterative antics, but it’s all right there in the title. Princesses! Ninjas! Versus! Is it weird? Sure. Are you curious? I’m assuming so. Come and see what happens!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Power Pets
Look! Up in the sky! It’s a dog! It’s a cat? Wait, is that a bearded dragon?! And why are they all wearing capes?! Oh, they’re Power Pets!! From their Super Shelter headquarters they fight for truth, kibble, and belly rubs! And you’ll learn to draw them all!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Adventure Quest
Kids will decide and draw where we’ll go, what we’ll do, and who we’ll encounter on an epic trek! Will there be pirates? Maybe. Dragons? Who can say. A minotaur named Gary who love hot dogs?! That’s very specific, but I can’t see why not. Come and see what happens!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Legend of Adlez
Hear ye! We are going on a mythic quest! We’ll travel o’er hill and dale! We’ll cavort and caper with all manner of various whatnot! And this is definitely not a cheap ripoff where we take the name of a popular game and just spell one of the words backwards. Huzzah! Doth you dare?!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Weirdo Heroes
Oh sure, you’ve heard of heroes like Hercules, Apollo, Zeus, and Vulcan! But have you heard of Stinkasus? Nosepickeron? Gary?! Well, you’re in for a treat! We’ll not only learn about weird oddball heroes, we’re going to draw them too! Don’t miss this!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Cartoon Cryptids
Kids will learn to draw familiar creatures like the Loch Ness Monster and Bigfoot, but also lesser known beasts like the Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp, the Jersey Devil and the Loveland Frog! No blurry photos this time! See them in all their goofy glory! (Don’t worry it’s not too scary.)
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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The Secret of the Mysterious Whodunit
Help! Something bad has happened and we need your deductive drawing to solve this case! Help cartoon the clues, sketch the suspects, and puzzle out the pictures to find out… whodunit!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Martial Arts Mayhem
Get your black belt in cartooning! We’ll draw characters kicking, jumping, punching, blocking, and working out their disagreements by using their words… of fury! Do not miss this!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Robots!
Hello, carbon based life form. BEEP! Sign up for this cartoon robot drawing class.
Human children will learn to draw automatons, robots, droids, mechs and more. WHIRR! Do not worry, robots are your friends. And we are not plotting to take over your library or school.
Sign up now. END TRANSMISSION.
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Hilarious Hiking
Kids will go on a cartoon hike and decide where we go, who me meet, and what happens next! We might draw wildlife! Weird plants! Quicksand! Bigfoot! Squirrels! (OK, that last one is pretty mediocre.) It’s a fun free-for-all that’s different every time!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Undersea Adventure
Learn to draw all sorts of weird underwater creatures! Pelican eels! Barreleye fish! Immortal jellyfish! And the tasseled wobbegong! You’ll have to sea it to believe it! Water you waiting for!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Spooky Stories
Legend has it that on the very day this class is held, a spooky specter will return from the beyond to… Wait! What was that?! Did you hear that?! It’s… it’s… A terrifically fun new cartooning class! We’ll draw ghosts! Ghouls! Goblins! And Gary!!! (Who’s Gary?! You’ll have to wait and see!)
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Space Fights!
Somewhat recently, in a universe just over that way… Space Fights!
Come draw all of your favorite Space Fight characters: Varth Mader! Duke Cloudrunner! Princess Mia! C3-D2! They’ll battle with laser sporks! Fly at dark speed! And use their somewhat ambiguous Intestinal Fortitude! Do not miss this off-brand space opera! May the Intestinal Fortitude be with you!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Kart-oon Racing
Kids will learn to draw all sort of exciting racing karts and goofy drivers! Then decide what happens in each race!
Molasses puddles? Sure! Giant lizards?! Why not! Broccoli bombs!! Seems like a waste of food, but OK! And finally decide who will win!
Race to sign up for this!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Critter Collectors
We’re going to create and draw our very own collectible cartoon critters based our your suggestions! 14 legs? Sure! 7 tails? Why not! 3 glowing-the-dark hypnotizing laser eyes?! OK, that seems like bit much, but you’re the boss! Then, and this is the best part, you get to decide who would win in a cartoon critter clash!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Alphabet Animals
In this high-energy draw-along program, students will learn to draw 26 adorable cartoon animals using only the alphabet and simple shapes.
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-3
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Dinosaurs vs. Robots
First, kids draw dangerous dinosaurs on one side of the page and then radical robots on the other. What happens next? Do they fight or have a picnic? Shoot lasers or share ice cream? Either way, students love this fun draw-along.
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Myth, Magic & Monsters
Kids will learn to draw all sorts of mythological, fantasy, and fairy tale characters, and then draw in their own stories!
Will the ogre and unicorn fight? Have a dance party? Meet at a small cafe and discuss the events of the day over coffee and scones?! Whatever happens, students will have a great time!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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BOOM! POW! SMASH!
Holy cartooning class! Learn to draw awesome superheroes and terrible villains and then decide what happens next!
Will Beltman use his scowl of justice? Will Ms. Quito bite him?! Will they decide to put their squabbles aside and play Monopoly?! (Get out of jail free indeed!) Stay tuned!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Action Animals
Learn to draw all sorts of amazing cartoon animals in action! Kangaroo rats jumping! Flic-Flac spiders cartwheeling! Mantis shrimp punching! Flying squirrels knitting! (Just kidding, they fly!)
It’s pure zoological zaniness!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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A Tale of Two Tails
Kids will begin by drawing tons of animals with amazing tails! Peacocks! Scorpions! Lemurs! Rattlesnakes! Hippos! (Hippos?) Yes, hippos! (Wait until you learn how they use their tails. It’s gross.)
Then they'll draw in their own creative stories!
(Again, you have to sign up if for no other reason than that hippo thing. Ugh!)
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Legend of the Lost Toon
Kids will learn to flex their cartoon creativity and draw their own:
- Mysterious mummies
- Dangerous dinosaurs
- Terrific treasures
Then watch as their creations are “dug up” live on the big screen!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Secret Spies, Goofy Gadgets
Meet Agent 327 and help him create secret spy gadgets for his next mission. Laser watches! Flying cars! Secret code glasses! Anti-gravity socks! And anything else you can come up with!>
Oh no! I’ve been discovered! Run! And sign up now!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Lunar Cartooners
Kids will travel to the distant reaches of outer space and draw their own:
- Bizarre blobs!
- Triangular terrors!
- Mysterious mustaches?!
Then watch as their creations are “dug up” live on the big screen!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Draw Your Own Adventure!
You decide what, where, and who happens next! Oozing blob or skeleton? Creepy cave or jungle? Dance party or staring contest? We’ll draw based completely on your suggestions!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Creative Cartooning
In this fun, hands-on program, participants will learn how to:
- Draw expressive cartoon faces
- Sketch bodies in motion
- Write jokes for cartoons
- Use symbols to express ideas
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: 4-6
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Cartoon Confidential
Learn about the life of a professional cartoonist. Draw along or just listen as Anderson exposes:
- His mysterious path to a cartoon career
- The undisclosed process of writing captions
- Classified information on drawing
- Tons of hilarious cartoons
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: Adult
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Leprechauns and Legends
Feeling lucky? Come on an adventure though the magical countryside. Perhaps we’ll encounter likable leprechauns, mystical merrows, gregarious grogochs, and the perilous pooka to name just a few! (Please leave pots of gold at home.)
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Cartoon Monsters
A total creative bonanza! Students will draw tons of crazy, unbelievable monsters. Weird blobby monsters! Scary pointy monsters! Funny hat-wearing monsters! And at the end, kids get to see their monsters come alive on the big screen and sneak up on poor unsuspecting Fuzzy Bunny!
Not just for Halloween!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-6
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Draw Your Own Haunted House
Do you like your cartoons a little bit spooky? Then this is the class for you!
Students will tell the cartoonist where to go, what will happen, what to do, and draw along! Will there be werewolves? Maybe. Vampires? Possibly. Frankensteins? Who can say…
Toon in and find out. (Insert spooky laugh here.)
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-6
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Monster Maker
Assemble your own hilariously horrible cartoon monsters. Kids will begin by drawing just one part of a monster, and then finalize their fiend with whatever fearsome and far-out fragments they can foment!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Weird World of Monsters
Sure, we all know about vampires, werewolves, mummies, but those are old hat.
In this silly spooky class, kids will learn to draw weird monsters from around the world! The Drop Bear! The Bunyip! The Ningen! And the Grootslang! You will not want to miss this!!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Turkey Toons & Funny Foods
A funny feast just in time for Thanksgiving!
Students will draw their favorite foods in hilarious situations! Turkey-zilla! Stuffed stuffing! And mashed potatoes... IN SPAAAACE!
Students will gobble this drawing class up. (Please note, class is not edible.)
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-6
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Reindeer Games
It’s well known that reindeer enjoy playing wintery games, and we’ll be drawing them all! Snowball soccer, tundra tennis, blizzard basketball and maybe even icicle skating! Don’t worry, there won’t be any name-calling, but there will be tons of laughs!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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Wide World of Wacky Winter Sports
Young cartoonists will draw all sorts of silly winter sports!
Snowman bobsled! Reindeer ski jump! Turtle slow-skating! And the freestyle snowball fight!
See you there, sports fans!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-6
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Do You Want to Draw a Snowman?
There's snow time like winter to take a cartooning class!
Kids will draw Picasso snowmen, snow animals, snow vacations, and snow much more!
It's a winter wonderland of creativity! Snow kidding! (OK, that's it for the snow puns. Sorry.)
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-6
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Winter Wildlife
Kids will learn to draw animals that like it cold! Arctic foxes, polar bears, snow monkeys, and the ruffed grouse! Yeo, you read that right - ruffed grouse! The grouse that’s actually ruffed! Do not miss it!! (Again, ruffed grouse!)
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-8
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What Else Did the Groundhog See?
We know he looks for his shadow one day a year, but what else does he see the rest of the month?! A super silly goofy grab bag that will leave you giggling!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-6
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My Silly Summer
Participants will draw all sort of traditional summer stuff - BBQs, swimming, baseball - and then add a weird twist!
Grilled underwear?! A nacho cheese water slide?! A giant robo-space-lizard playing shortstop?!
Don’t miss this creative celebration!
- Length: 45-60 Minutes
- Grades: K-6
Seasonal Classes
Testimonials
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The participants had a great time and learned a lot from Mark, but equally important was Mark’s ability to handle the kids. Not everyone who presents a program knows how to manage kids.
Deidre Winterhalter
Niles Public Library
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Every student was engaged in the experience. They were so impressed with their drawings! Mr. Anderson taught them to draw each character step by step. I would recommend this to any school, club, or program!
Karen Coffinbargar
Fullerton Elementary School
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It was wonderful to see the kids who usually are reluctant to make their presence known become engaged, and even enthusiastic without realizing it. They were having fun, connecting with the activity and the group, and learning about cartooning all the while.
Jean Jansen
Villa Park Public Library
Contact Me
Please fill out the fields below. I can't wait to teach some classes with you!