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 <I>Cul de Sac</i> collection.<P>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 <I>Children at Play</i> 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.<P>Thompson's witty dialogue meets comically unique drawings to make <I>Cul de Sac</i> a place worthy of visiting on a daily basis.<P>"I thought the best newspaper comic strips were long gone, and I've never been happier to be wrong. Richard Thompson's <I>Cul de Sac</i> has it all--intelligence, gentle humor, a delightful way with words, and, most surprising of all, wonderful, wonderful drawings." --Bill Watterson, creator of <I>Calvin and Hobbes</i>