Although there are many excuses why people in America don't read, the biggest reason is TV. Cartoon dinosaurs
for literacy"A lot of kids just aren't taught how to turn it off," said Phil Yeh, founder of Cartoonists Across America.
These kids are experts in video games, surfing the Internet and programming VCRs, but when it comes to the "Power Off" switch, they're completely clueless, he said. This is a problem Yeh aims to fix. He is on Year 12 of a 15-year mission to promote literacy that all started with Wally Amos, Lanikai resident and national spokesman for literacy Volunteers of America.
"When he pointed out the literacy problem, I decided to go insane and travel the world promoting literacy," Yeh said. "We've covered a lot of ground since then."
Yeh and a group of committed artists have been painting murals that promote reading ever since 1985. Their cartoon characters, Theo the Dinosaur and The Winged Tiger, have been featured in more than 50 books. This week, Yeh brings his campaign back to its roots with a series of mural paintings .
On Thursday, 4 to 6 p.m., Yeh and his partner on the Dragons of Hawaii books, Jon Murakami, will sign books and introduce their new Winged Tiger stuffed toy at Borders Books and Music at Ward Centre, where a mural of Yeh's already adorns the children's section. On Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Yeh and some of Hawaii's best cartoonists will paint a colorful mural at Windward Mall.
By Malia Rulon, Star-Bulletin