Bruce Eric Kaplan, also known as BEK, is one of the most cel­e­brat­ed and admired car­toon­ists in Amer­i­ca. I Was a Child is the sto­ry of his child­hood in words and draw­ings, in which he recalls grow­ing up in New Jer­sey with his par­ents and two old­er broth­ers. Sib­ling rival­ries, vis­its to grand­par­ents, first days of school, and the inevitable decline and death of his par­ents are treat­ed with quick wit and ten­der obser­va­tion. It would seem like a con­ven­tion­al child­hood, although Kaplan’s anec­dotes are accom­pa­nied by his sig­na­ture draw­ings of fam­i­ly out­ings and life at home — road trips, milk crates, ham­sters, ash­trays, wigs, a platy­pus, and much more. Kaplan’s car­toons, though sim­ple, are nev­er straight­for­ward; they encom­pass an easy irony and dark humor that often cuts straight to the truth of expe­ri­ence. Bril­liant­ly relat­able and gen­uine­ly mov­ing, I Was a Child is an essen­tial book for fans of this inim­itable artist and a beau­ti­ful gift for any reader.