Calling all Peanuts fans! “Snoopy Features as the Legal Beagle” is now available in the C J Koh Law Library (call no. PN6727 Schu.Sn 2000). This classic comic book is another offering by one of the most influential cartoonists of all time, Charles M. Shultz (1922-2000).

“Isn’t this book meant only for the shelves in a children’s library?” you ask. Peanuts is an all-time favourite and will always appeal to the child in us. But while children get to enjoy the funny drawings and delightful fantasy of Snoopy, adults can lose themselves in the unflinching emotional honesty, sarcastic humour and artistic depth of the comics. As in Shultz’s other works, the contrast between Snoopy’s existence in a dream world and Charlie Brown’s in the real world, which is central to the humour and philosophy of Peanuts, is played out in this series of comic strips.

In this book, the children hire Snoopy as an attorney to resolve disputes with the principal, student council, school library, etc. As his alter ego, Charlie Brown’s pet dog dons a bow-tie and fantasises about being a “world famous attorney”. He randomly spouts legal maxims in response to the children’s concerns but in reality, never solves their problems. For instance, he is involved in several unsuccessful battles for Peppermint Patty with her school. Snoopy often digresses from the issues at hand and is often more preoccupied with thoughts about “John Doe” and “Richard Doe”.

So, make a date with the Legal Beagle and be delightfully entertained by the antics and musings of this well-loved cartoon character.

Lee Su Lin
CJ Koh Law Library