Phil Yeh is getting kids to read, one bubble at a time. Through his "Winged Tiger Comics & Stories" books, the artist takes kids on educational adventures to instill the thrill of reading.

"Cartoons are a way, in this image age, to bring kids back to reading", said Yeh, who will create a mural at the Festival of Books. "They read word bubbles for the storyline and follow the entertaining pictures. Our mission is to make reading and intelligence fun, and, so far, it's working."

With topical themes and humor, Yeh's stories explore the value of literacy, different cultures and geographic destinations, and how to nurture ideas and creativity.

On board Yeh's "ideaship" storyline, the characters travel the world meeting real artists like filmmaker George Lucas and the band Los Lobos, asking them how they get their ideas.

His "Theo the Dinosaur" book and CD-Rom has prehistoric animals avoiding extinction by learning to read.

"The kids respond to my books because they are fantasy based on reality", Yeh said. "We're motivating them to read because kids love cartoons and adventure, but they can sense the real passion in the stories."

The theme of Yeh's literacy crusade is "Building a world of Readers, Artists and Dreamers". Through this, he not only promotes the written word via his books, but also by painting themed murals celebrating reading and the arts.

In 1983, Yeh founded Cartoonists Across America and the World, a vehicle that takes him and other artists to schools, libraries, literacy groups and organizations to give inspiring talks and paint murals with the public.

In his presentations, Yeh distributes free copies of his books and holds a live, interactive cartooning session to get the juices flowing.

"I get the kids to create a character with me," he said, "and I incorporate a lot of humor and explore all facets of the arts."

Yeh calls the mural painting programs "massive jam sessions".

"Like Tom Sawyer tricked people into painting that fence, I get people who are just walking by, from age 2 to 90, to experience the creative process", he said.

In the past 16 years, Yeh has created more than 1,000 murals worldwide in libraries and on city buses, bookmobiles, billboards and walls. He even painted one with former First Lady Barbara Bush in the Library of Congress.

Cartoonists Across America was honored for its literacy work at a reception at the White House, and now works in partnership with the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.

Last year, Yeh attended the National Book Festival and created free drawings for lines of children on the Capitol grounds.

"It was a dream come true," he said.

Yeh grew up in South Los Angeles, and "traveled around the world reading just about every book in our library", he said. "Reading was my ticket out."

As a child, Yeh loved to tell stories, but had dyslexia.

"I thought I couldn't spell," he said. "Of course, this wasn't true, but I turned to pictures to tell my stories instead and became a cartoonist".

It was an interview with cookie mogul Wally "Famous Amos" Amos, the national spokesman for Literacy Volunteers of America, that inspired Yeh to use his art for literacy.

His Cartoonists Across America and the World journey was only scheduled to last through 2000, but when Yeh was honored by the Los Angeles County Library Association, he decided to keep sailing his "ideaship" through 2010.

"I have more work to do: you have to change the world from the kids up," Yeh said. "I want to get into the Los Angeles schools and speak to the kids; to bring the books to them. The problem is that literacy is not a sexy issue and doesn't get the media attention other issues get. But, there's nothing more exciting than reading, and I believe education is ultimately the way we're going to reach peace in the world."

For more information or to contact Yeh, visit www.ideaship.com or send e-mail to philyeh@gte.net.

Debra Beyer is a freelance writer based in Glendale.