Charles Schulz: His Drawings Were Rejected… Then Snoopy Became Famous Everywhere
His school yearbook did not use his drawings. But Charles Schulz kept trying, and in 1950 his comic strip Peanuts began. Learn five A2 words and how to use still with the true story of Charles Schulz.
Coming 20 December 2026, 3:00 pm New York time
Transcript
Tap a time to jump to that moment. Highlighted words have a meaning: tap them. Words in bold show today's grammar.
His school did not use his drawings.
Years later, a dog he drew was famous all over the world.
This is the story of Charles Schulz.
Welcome to brightlivesenglish.com, where we teach real English using real-life stories.
. A tells a story with pictures and words.
As a boy, he loved .
. A is a school's book of the year.
The school did not use his drawings.
. A is a few pictures in a newspaper.
In 1950, his "Peanuts" began in seven newspapers.
. A is a person or an animal in a story.
His most famous was a dog.
. A is a small dog with long ears.
Snoopy is a .
Now, one pattern: still.
It means something did not stop.
He still drew every himself.
Ready? Let's begin.
Charles Schulz was born in America in 1922.
As a boy, he loved .
He had a black-and-white dog called Spike.
At fourteen, a famous newspaper feature printed his drawing of Spike.
But the school did not use his drawings.
Would anyone want his drawings?
He kept trying.
After the war, he drew a small for a newspaper in his city.
Then, in 1950, his "Peanuts" began in seven newspapers.
His most famous was a dog.
Snoopy is a , and Snoopy was a bit like Spike.
Newspapers all over the world printed his .
He was famous, but he still drew every himself: almost 18,000.
He stopped in 2000.
He died on 12 February, and his last came out the next day.
Let's review. As a boy, he loved .
The school did not use his drawings.
In 1950, his "Peanuts" began in seven newspapers.
His most famous was a dog.
Snoopy is a .
And remember: he still drew every himself.
Charles Schulz's story teaches us: when people say no, keep drawing.
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Step 3
Words from the story
Say the word, guess its meaning, then flip the card. Keep the ones you know, and practise the rest again.
Great work, you know every word in this story. Now try the quiz below.
comic noun
a story told with pictures and words
“As a boy, he loved comics.”
yearbook noun
a book a school makes every year, with photos of the students
“The school yearbook did not use his drawings.”
strip noun
(comic strip) a few pictures in a row in a newspaper that tell a short story
“In 1950, his comic strip Peanuts began in seven newspapers.”
character noun
a person or an animal in a story
“His most famous character was a dog.”
beagle noun
a small dog with long ears and short legs
“Snoopy is a beagle.”
pencil noun
a thin wooden stick for writing and drawing
“He drew with a pencil first.”
cartoonist noun
a person who draws comics or funny pictures
“He was a famous cartoonist.”
joke noun
something funny that makes people laugh
“Every strip had a small joke.”
Grammar in the story
still + verb
We use it for: to say that something continued and did not stop
- He still drew every strip himself.
- He was famous, but he still worked every day.
From the story
- He still drew every strip himself.
- I still live in my old town.
Find it in the story 3 times
Your turn
He drew every strip himself.
It's ten o'clock, and she is asleep.
He was famous, but he still every day.
Step 4
Story Challenge
7 quick rounds: choose, fill the gap, build the sentence and match the words. Answer in a row to build a streak and earn bonus points.
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Take it further
Before you watch: Do you read comics? Who is your favourite comic character?
After you watch: Write three sentences with still. For example: I still have my first toy. My grandmother still walks every day. It’s late, but my brother is still awake.
Think about it: The yearbook said no, but he kept drawing. What do you keep doing, even when it’s hard?
