Richard Thompson reminds us that being a 40-year-old isn’t hard, but being a four-year-old is. His warm, welcoming reminders are wonderfully lighthearted and funny as he brings home Alice’s life in a fun, new Cul de Sac collection.

Alice and her Blisshaven Preschool classmates charm fans of all ages. Their adventures ring alarmingly true to parents of little ones, too. From doing projects in a whirlwind of crayons and markers to their nonstop chatter to trying to comprehend a completely incomprehensible world, Thompson’s characters make Children at Play a must-read. The little boxes crammed together, the shopping malls, and the insane traffic systems set the scene for the storylines and adventures that only suburban life can provide.

Thompson’s witty dialogue meets comically unique drawings to make Cul de Sac a place worthy of visiting on a daily basis.

“I thought the best newspaper comic strips were long gone, and I’ve never been happier to be wrong. Richard Thompson’s Cul de Sac has it all–intelligence, gentle humor, a delightful way with words, and, most surprising of all, wonderful, wonderful drawings.” –Bill Watterson, creator of Calvin and Hobbes