Countdown of the 7 Best Textbook Doodles

I was always an avid doodler, and an avid consumer of doodles in used textbooks. I especially enjoyed the textbook scavenger hunt. You know the one – on page 12 it says turn to page 45, on page 45 it says turn to page 26, etc., until you finally come to a particularly hilarious drawing or anecdote. Today’s post is an ode to hilarious textbook doodles and the bored students who create them. So without further ado, I present to you our countdown of the 7 best textbook doodles (click on the number to see the full-size image).

Number 7: Flyaway Hairs

No doubt about it, this guy’s hair looks like a bird. Instead of emphasizing its bird-like qualities in the original photo, however, this doodler took it to the next level and told a story. Points for creativity and vision!

Number 6: Fluffy?

In what is presumably an image representing the life cycle of rabbits, this doodle speaks to the horror all animal lovers feel, but cannot express, at the sight of an adorable bunny being devoured. Sure, you’ve heard of the food chain, and no one wants the fox to starve, but admit it – you feel the tiniest twinge of regret watching that fox chow down on Fluffy.

Number 5: Bloody Practical

Students often struggle to connect what they learn in the classroom to practical, everyday life experiences. The great aspect of this particular doodle is its demonstration of a real-world application for course content.

Number Four: Magnets, How Do They Work?

There’s a lot going on here – make sure to check out the full-size image. Stick men are classic text book denizens, making for simple, clean comedy in this hilarious series of doodles.

Number Three: Emergency Seance

Bright, colorful, and pretty darn creepy, coming in at number three on our countdown is the life saving-turned-satanic ritual doodle. I’d both love and fear to get inside the mind of the highlighter-wielding visionary who made that leap.

Number 2: Neandertallica

The neanderthal rock band – Neandertallica – wins points for vision, skill, and completeness. A variety of instruments is represented, and nothing looks forced.

Number 1: Making the Awkward Slightly Less Awkward

No matter how mature you were in high school, Health got pretty darn uncomfortable when it came to learning about the reproductive system. This doodle tops our list for maintaining a perfectly usable illustration while simultaneously making it more palatable. A+!

Honorable Mention: Math-Time Misery

While not technically in a textbook, this classroom doodle is my personal favorite. It perfectly captures my feeling in math class every day of my high school career. In fact, I’m pretty sure I had a few similar doodles in the margins of my notes.

I hope you’ve enjoyed our countdown of the 7 best textbook doodles! Next time you’re in class, draw your own (in pencil, of course – textbooks are expensive!), take a picture, and share it with us on the Pencils Facebook page!