Once upon a time, there was a talented artist named Barbara Shermund. She lived in a big city called New York and worked for a funny magazine called The New Yorker. Barbara started drawing when she was very young, even before she went to art school. She was one of the first women to draw cartoons for this magazine! Barbara’s cartoons were special. They showed lively characters called flappers. Flappers were young women who loved to dress up, dance, and have fun. Barbara's drawings brought these flappers to life on the pages of the magazine. Her art had a unique style – each line was smooth and playful, just like the flappers themselves. In her cartoons, you could see flappers gossiping in cafes and riding on buses. They laughed, danced, and sometimes made silly mistakes. But Barbara's drawings also shared important messages. She showed how women could be friends and stand up for each other. Her cartoons had funny secrets wrapped in them. They made people think! Barbara’s art included everyone, even people who loved differently. She had characters that made us laugh while also showing kindness. For example, she would draw two men in a park wondering about a unique person with a cigarette. The jokes in her cartoons were clever; they made fun of people's ideas instead of the characters. As time passed and things changed in the world, Barbara’s art also changed. Yet, her early work reminds us of a time when people felt free to be themselves. Barbara Shermund filled her drawings with humor, friendship, and a swirl of fun. Her art showed us how important it is to express ourselves and support one another, no matter who we are. So, let's remember Barbara and her amazing cartoons that made many hearts smile!