Drawn Onward
In this enthralling and emotional palindrome picture book by Daniel Nayeri and Matt Rockefeller, a young boy grieving the loss of his mother embarks on a lushly fantastical adventure that illuminates what remains when our loved ones are gone.
All alone
He was not so brave...
His heart needed to know
The answer.
This lyrical, heartfelt story a young boy who's lost all hope braves the dark forest to ask, "Mom, were you glad you were mom?" Gorgeously illustrated, Drawn Onward gently guides readers through the depths of grief and provides comfort and hope to those who seek answers when it feels like all is lost.
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Daniel Nayeri likes to read things backward even when it doesn't make sense to do so. He is the author of Everything Sad Is Untrue (A True Story), winner of the Printz Award, the Christopher Medal, and the Middle Eastern Book Award. He loves letter-unit palindromes, like "toot" and "God's dog," and word-unit palindromes, like "Never say never" and "Fall leaves after leaves fall," and if he didn't say how much he likes and loves his wife and son, he wouldn't be Daniel Nayeri.
Matt Rockefeller is a visual storyteller inspired by adventuring in the mountains, interpretive dancing with friends, and pondering the many wonders of the universe. In addition to drawing and writing comics, he creates artwork for TV and film animation. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his family including a little dog that may or may not be a fox.
"A gorgeous tale. A delightful puzzle. But most of all, Drawn Onward is a gift for those who believe books to be living things." -- Aaron Becker, author of the Caldecott Honor Book Journey
"A touching, poetic journey through grief, bravery and acceptance, so delectably illustrated I want to eat it with a spoon." -- Vera Brosgol, author of the Caldecott Honor Book Leave Me Alone
"It's rare to find a book this clever that is also emotionally powerful. Drawn Onward is special and enduring." -- Matt de la Peña, author of Newbery winning Last Stop on Market Street
"Magnificently illuminated, video game-like spreads by Rockefeller (Poesy the Monster Slayer) feature stone ruins, menacing dragons, and ornaments that give the pages a book-of-hours feel. Printz Medalist Nayeri, meanwhile, distills an experience of grief, imparting the importance of seeking time alone to relive moments of shared love." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A touching triumph of artful collaboration between wordsmithing and world building. Nayeri's text is sparse but heartrending, sparking large questions that drive readers forward and allowing Rockefeller ample space to construct an evocative fantasy world." -- Booklist (starred review)
"A grieving young boy goes on an impossible adventure and returns, healed. The illustrations are so filled with detail that they demand repeat visits, which will prompt little ones and their grown-ups to delve into the ellipses and explore both text and subtext further." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Nayeri's palindromic text is economical yet, despite its brevity, likely to spark readers' curiosity and reflection. The lush, intricately detailed illustrations by Matt Rockefeller (Poesy the Monster Slayer illustrator) use visual pacing and a videogame-like structure to invite close inspection and expand Nayeri's narrative in multilayered ways." -- Shelf Awareness
