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Poetry Comics

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Combining poetry and comics in a whole new way, this fun and imaginative book is perfect for poetry lovers and reluctant readers alike.

“ Poetry Comics is a sprint through a sprinkler, a cool evening breeze, and the discovery of static electricity all at once. It’s a sensorial experience that taps into what it means to be human and leaves you inspired to explore, discover, create, and connect.”—Aron Nels Steinke, Eisner Award-winning cartoonist

From the cloud-gazing hours of early spring to the lost bicycles of late autumn, Grant Snider’s brilliantly illustrated Poetry Comics will take you climbing, floating, swimming, and tumbling through all the year’s ups, downs, and in-betweens. He proves that absolutely everything, momentous or minuscule, is worthy of attention, whether snail shells, building blocks, the lamented late bus, or the rare joy of unscuffed shoes. These poems explore everything you never thought to write a poem about, and they’re so fun to read you’ll want to write one yourself. Not to worry, there’s a poem for that, too!

FOR COMIC BOOK These poems for kids are brightly illustrated in graphic novel-style panels, adding a delightful new element to approaching poetry. Perfect for visually oriented readers and young people who already love comics, cartoons, and graphic novels.

EXCITING NEW APPROACH TO Funny, instructive, and thoroughly engaging, this poem book is a perfect addition to classroom libraries and poetry curricula. 

POEMS FOR EVERY With sections for winter, spring, summer, and fall, this poetry book offers teachers and kids lots to enjoy and share all year round. 

SPARK A LOVE OF POETRY AND Perfect for classroom writing and drawing prompts, this book will inspire readers of all ages to make and share poetry comics of their own!

Perfect

96 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2024

17 people are currently reading
4439 people want to read

About the author

Grant Snider

20 books683 followers
Grant Snider began drawing and writing before he knew what he was doing. Soon it was too late to stop.

He is the author of the picture books WHAT COLOR IS NIGHT? and WHAT SOUND IS MORNING? and the creator of Incidental Comics. His comics were collected and published in the books THE SHAPE OF IDEAS and I WILL JUDGE YOU BY YOUR BOOKSHELF. Grant's comics about creativity and the human condition have appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Best American Comics.

Grant lives in Wichita, Kansas with his wife, daughter, and three sons, where he also practices orthodontics. You can often find him carrying a sketchbook, lost in his own thoughts.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
Profile Image for Ivonne Rovira.
2,548 reviews253 followers
September 4, 2024
Yes, yes, the title is self-explanatory. But what isn’t is how a novella-length graphic book of poetry might be a gateway for a reluctant reader to build the confidence to read longer books. Or an introduction to the wonders of poetry for youngsters unenthusiastic about older, more structured poems.

What’s also not obvious is how lovely the poems were and how author Grant Snider’s quirky illustrations were even better than the poems. Like Shel Silverstein’s books, Poetry Comics will delight more than its target audience of kids.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Chronicle Books in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Marta Cava.
584 reviews1,150 followers
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December 8, 2025
Una proposta ben original i sorprenent: un poema en format còmic. Tant el text com les il·lustracions combinen i juguen perfectament. Un bon llibre per tenir a mà si treballeu amb els grans de Primària o petits de l'ESO, per acostar la poesia i per treballar-la a l'aula
Profile Image for Deborah.
Author 14 books209 followers
Read
March 7, 2024
Organized by seasons, this is a collection of poems illustrated line-by-line in comic panels. For kids (and adults) who already know they like poetry, AND for anyone intimidated by it, these poems are often introspective but completely accessible, and provide a brilliant portal to poetry for visual thinkers and learners. I have already talked up this book to teachers and librarians who I'm sure will want this book in their collections! Kids will be inspired.
Profile Image for Kelly Green's Book Review.
216 reviews12 followers
March 21, 2024
Slightly Obsessed with this Poetry Graphic Novel!!
Creative, fun and a really great resource for readers of all ages to learn about and learn to love- POETRY.
The seasonal themes made it easy to read and kept reading of the poems "moving". With the varying subjects of each poem there is sure to be 2 or 3 that resonant with each reader. I particularly enjoyed Spring- JOY and My Favorite Color.
The illustrations bring even more life to each poem. If poetry hasn't been your cup of tea in the past, this is a great way to enjoy it.

I would recommend libraries around the world get extra copies of this book!! And teachers- what about a unit on poetry and illustrating your own poem?!!

Grateful to have received a digital copy of this book from Chronicle Books and NetGalley.
Profile Image for Lee.
238 reviews6 followers
September 24, 2025
The illustrations were nice - whimsical and relevant, fitting the tone of the book. The poems were hit or miss. Many had to do with being at school and school was mostly portrayed as a place to be endured rather than as beneficial. The vast majority were free verse and I think children’s poetry is often more memorable when there is structure in rhythm and rhyme. The book could have been half the length through tighter editing and selection and been a better book.
Profile Image for Rusha.
205 reviews6 followers
March 16, 2025
Something magical about some of these poems
Profile Image for Karen Arendt.
2,812 reviews14 followers
October 1, 2025
Perfect introduction to poetry for children with charming illustrations. Each season has poems not only for the season but for self-introspection too- which is likely my favorite part. Each season also has a “How to write a poem”’poem which is great for thoughtful poetry writing.
Profile Image for Liz Oliver.
251 reviews17 followers
February 9, 2024
This was cute, short, and sweet, but lacked the depth I've come to know and love from Snider's comics. I've followed his work for a while, so went in with high expectations about comics that explored the meaning of life and creativity in very tangible, kid friendly, and wholesome ways. There were a few comics smattered throughout that really made me sit back and think, but most of it felt like fluff to me. Would make a nice coffee table book but was not super a deep read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
Profile Image for Marda.
452 reviews
April 26, 2024
Fun illustrations, nice poems, interesting observations and insights!
Profile Image for BooksAsDreams (Tiffany).
307 reviews8 followers
November 25, 2024
Love poetry and comics? This is for you! Wonderful rethinking of both genres. Author is also doing 30 Days of poetry in comics in November (2024). Check it out!
Profile Image for Ann Haefele.
1,623 reviews22 followers
June 25, 2024
Perfect poetry book for young children through adults. Poems about everyday things (playing basketball, a carnival, chess game) sorted into the 4 seasons. The graphic panels help the reader imagine the words. Would be fun to use even with teens for classes about poetry.
Profile Image for Lisa.
913 reviews20 followers
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August 22, 2024
This is shelved with the adult graphic novels at my library, which seems bizarre.

It's a very sweet, simple book with easy to follow pictures.
Profile Image for Kari Napier.
349 reviews2 followers
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March 11, 2025
This was one I read with my son. He has interest in poetry. It was good for my 11 year old to read through with me but isn't much of an adult book. It was a great starter for him.
Profile Image for Kelly.
223 reviews7 followers
July 6, 2024
This is my kind of poetry book! The illustrations and colors are delightful and help to bring the words to life.
Profile Image for Emily Dorcey.
18 reviews8 followers
March 1, 2024
Thank you to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for the ARC copy! I loved this poetry collection. Such a sweet and fun combination of poetry and comics. I thought it was organized really well and that the artwork was very cute and captures the feeling of the poems well. I would highly recommend this collection.
30 reviews1 follower
November 22, 2025
I love poetry. I love comics. Seeing someone strive to combine the two made my heart jump and cheer. Reading this book made it recline back in its normal position with a heavy sigh.

The idea of combining thoughtful selections of words with strong imagery is fantastic. How can one better express those hard to grasp truths that life brings to our little table of experience. Alas, this is not the place to find it. The drawings are not poetic, nor are the words profound. It’s just plain observations about seasons, friendship or dreams. Nowhere does it look further than what presents itself outright.

That the book is for children is no excuse for the blandness of the words: there is great children’s poetry that *does* have meaning above, below and next to the literal words on the page. The images never surpass basic doodling. That isn’t necessarily an issue as there are many comics where the power lies in the message, not the presentation. Here though, nothing is to be found but the obvious: When a leaf falls in fall it’s gone; bye leaf.

Let’s hope the book prompts readers to find more poetic poetry, or deeper comics. That would be the best it could accomplish.
Profile Image for Cecelia.
423 reviews256 followers
August 6, 2025
It is often surprising to me what is popular in my classroom library. I have some idea of what might be of interest to my high school students (of course!) and I supply those books whenever my budget allows. I picked up Grant Snider's graphic novel Poetry Comics on a whim at an ALA convention, and given its intended audience–much younger readers–I didn’t think it would resonate, but I put it on the shelf anyway. Imagine my shock when it turned out to be a choice reading time sleeper hit! After seeing several students pick it up, I decided to take a closer look myself, and I can see why it was (is!) in demand.

Poetry Comics is just what it sounds like: a book of comics but also a poetry anthology. Each page, or each couple of pages, consist of poem(s) told panel by panel, in integrated, illustrated format. As one might guess from the cover illustration, the poems focus on nature, following the structure of the seasons, with some variation and tangents to take on the art of poem-writing itself, identity, and even things like waiting for a late bus. The compilation, while meant for young readers in the 7-12 age range, will also be of interest to aspiring comics artists and writers of all ages.

Snider’s art is simplistic, with basic 2D figures and landscapes, and a focus on the sky and horizon. Primary colors, fairly literal interpretations of each poem, and two “characters” (a boy and a girl) dominate the panels when nature and the natural world does not take center stage. Snider also makes interesting use of panels and the gutter–the white space around panels–on each page.

As far as the poems themselves, Snider’s key features are alliteration, repetition, lists (catalog), and of course the aforementioned organization around seasons and seasonal changes. My favorite poems in the book are “How to Write a Poem” numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4. Ah! Can’t forget to mention the structure of Snider’s poems too: a lack of commas, sparse periods and end stops, and very short poems overall. Each poem stands alone: some merely a single line, others still short but spreading over two pages. They don’t have to be read in any particular order either. Beyond that, the most stand-out thing about them is their clever titling, which amused me most.

According to the notes in the book, Snider’s illustrations are done in pen and marker, and reedited in Photoshop. The balance in the book definitely leans to image over text, which, while pleasing to the eye, does not grant a huge amount of depth, since those images themselves are also fairly simplistic. A note: they contain no evidence of phones or digital life, and in that way feel timeless.

Overall, Poetry Comics is a decent collection of poems and art for young people that may inspire adventures and a couple of reflective, poignant moments.

Recommended for: readers ages 7+, and read alouds with younger children to foster reflection and contemplation.
Profile Image for John “Hoss”.
119 reviews
February 10, 2024
A fun and elegant collection of poetry with some whimsical drawings to complement the book. I’m thankful for NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book. I find this collection of poetry can be relaxing for any one of all ages to read and relax after a day of tasks or chores galore. I really enjoyed the series of “How to write a poem,” poems most of all. I’d have enjoyed reading this when I was a kid. I really haven’t written poetry, but these poems provide creative meditations for any creative activity. The sense of time moving on with each season is also soothing. You could really come back and re read each season throughout the year. I might read and share this article with my young daughter to see what she thinks of this book too.
Profile Image for June Price.
Author 7 books81 followers
February 25, 2024
I'm impressed! Not only a well done, fun read with cool comic style illustrations, but it offers up much to think about, It deals with universal human emotions and feelings such as anxiety, ambition, creativity, and the sheer joy (and fears) of living. The cover is very representative of what you'll find within. Look closely. That's the same tree split into four sections, in this case seasons. That is how the book is organized, season by season. According to info shared at the end, Jennifer Tolo Pierce was the designer, so kudos to her. There are even hints about writing poetry (and dealing with what we'll call writer's block).

The poems are deceptively simple but, as I read, I realized how much thought had gone into not just the words but the illustrations, which were done in pen and ink with coloring done by Photo Shop. They perfectly capture not just the universal joys and fears of youth but can be equally applicable to adults reading. I know a few gave me pause, recalling how emotions tended to leap and frolic, rising and falling, occasionally crashing. People everywhere, no matter where or what creed or color, experience the same. Being human is the focus here. Being human and having fun while out and about enjoying nature or stretching your imagination and creativity.

I wound up taking extensive notes, largely for my own benefit, but am opting not to share more than a few highlights here. One per section. In the spring section, the "Becoming" poem hit home, not only recalling the name of a recent Michelle Obama book but reminding us all that we're always evolving, always in the process of becoming. The summer submission that hit home for me was "Roller Coaster", a reminder that the road of life, cliche that it is, isn't always smooth and you will have both high and low moments, not to mention moments that feel like you're endlessly climbing or in a free fall, For fall, the "Autumn ABCs" won me over for it's sheer skill, using an almost sentence like list written in alphabetical order rather than individual items for the various letters. It worked well, too! And, ah, winter. Probably "Into the Woods" reminded me of the old saying about all who wander aren't lost. It notes that sometimes being lost simply means you need to figure out where you're going. Thanks to #NetGalley and #ChronicleBooks for sharing this wonderful book with me early. It's a great reminder of taking time to enjoy where we're at and the world about us and would be a great gift for any age. Teachers will definitely want to add this to their bookshelves.
Profile Image for Hobart.
2,734 reviews87 followers
January 10, 2025
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S POETRY COMICS ABOUT?
Rather than try to really describe this book (and I wouldn't do a great job of it), here's a shody photo of the back cover (forgive the partial library barcode)
Photo of the Back Cover to Poetry Comics by Grand Snider

A WORD ABOUT THE ART
If you're a fan of Snider's characteristic simple drawings, you'll enjoy the art here. I am one of those, so I did.

The panels pair up really nicely with the poems—sometimes augmenting the shape and construction of the poem, sometimes simply illustrating them. Either way, it's just what you want in this kind of book. They never detract from the poems (they probably make some of the simpler ones better—they definitely disguise their brevity*).

* I don't mean to suggest that simple/brief poems are bad, they're simply short.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT POETRY COMICS?
This book is a shining example of adequasivity. It was perfectly fine, but on the whole, it really didn't do much for me.

There were a few poems about writing a poem—they were nice (not particularly practical). Most seemed to be trying really hard to be uplifting—and many of those fell flat to me, primarily because they were clearly trying really hard, but I did enjoy a couple of those. I'm going to guess that I really enjoyed about 10% of them—but there were none that I'd consider "bad," on the whole, the book was adequate.

So adequate that I knew halfway through that I'd have to look up that Newsradio video linked above.

Do I think readers in the target age range would appreciate this more than I did? Sure, if they like poetry (and possibly those who are ambivalent to it).
Profile Image for Joyce Uglow.
77 reviews8 followers
October 12, 2024
Poetry Comics by Grant Snider
Grant Snider's poetry collection will fill the hearts and minds of kids everywhere. Published on March 26, 2024 by Chronicle Books, released just in time for celebrations during Poetry Month in April. But it is a book that kids, classroom teachers, and parents will enjoy throughout the year. Each season delivers ponderable poems, adorable artwork, and topics deep in kids' minds. I especially adore Snider's thoughts about trees, feelings, cloud-watching, and growing up.

Spring gets the collection started - as well it should.

"I want to put down
on paper the feeling
of fresh possibilities."

And this book does just that.
Written and drawn in comic style, Snider's thought-provoking poems, images, and colors that draw the readers's attention to specific points. The last Winter poem is titled, "Into the Woods" brings it home with a message on which to reflect. It goes like this.

"I'm following a path
between what
I see
and what
is hidden.
A path between my fear
and
inspirations.
A path of
ugly truths
and wondrous
visions.
A path
where
getting
lost
means
finding where
I'm headed."
Profile Image for Diana of Shelved by Strand.
363 reviews24 followers
March 31, 2024
Grant Snider has just made poetry infinitely more accessible for every 4th to 6th grader in my school. The 5th grade readers in my room always choose graphic novels first for their independent reading, but they love the short format of the few verse novel + graphic novel combinations available. I love being able to hand them graphic novels in genres besides realistic fiction, so to have Poetry Comics on hand will be a great addition to my classroom library.

In looking at the cover, one might think that Snider has only written poems about the 4 seasons, but really growth is the main theme. Many of these poems have self-concept as a focus, and several sweetly capture those tween years of still liking kid stuff (like recess!) but looking forward to more mature pursuits as well. I had so many favorites: Becoming, Balloon Story, Joy, Old Playground Slide, How to Write a Poem (especially #2 and #3), Autumn ABCs, I Can Be..., Alight, Confidence, Wish List, Comfort Zone, and Bookshelf. Just the titles of my favorites should tell you how well this book will resonate with upper elementary students.

Well done, Mr. Snider! I will eagerly await another volume of Poetry Comics in the future. Thank you to Net Galley for providing this review copy.
Profile Image for Stacie.
1,895 reviews121 followers
April 17, 2024
Grant Snider has quickly become a children’s author whose books I really enjoy. I was thrilled to see he had another new children’s book out this Spring. Beginning with the Spring season, Snider has written and illustrated poems to mimic some of the activities of each season continuing with Summer, Fall, and Winter. Imagine a graphic novel yet in a much smaller format. Many of the puzzles cover just one page with a few that cover the double-page spread. The Illustrations fill a whole page or are individually sectioned illustrations to go along with the few words of the poem.

"Reflection
in the still pond
the same world
but blurred."

Snider makes poetry easy to read and so fun that kids won’t even realize they are enjoying poetry. Many of the poems are set outside where Snider encourages kids to focus on the beauty of nature or the simple joys in a day. In fact, one Haiku just writes about a finch on a stalk of prairie grass.

POETRY COMICS would be a great addition to a classroom curriculum on poetry. The last poem in every section is titled, “How to Write a Poem” reminding kids that writing poems isn’t necessarily easy, but it can be a fun journey.
Profile Image for Sarah.
414 reviews
March 24, 2025
Poetry Comics was a great poetry book for kids. The graphic novel format lends its self well to teaching kids the rhythm and pacing of a poem. The color palette for the entirety of the book, as well as the seasons individually were well done and cohesive. Even the paper and font selections were nice. The font is the same throughout, lending another level of cohesiveness, but it was nicely sized, clear and easy to read, while giving it a hint of "kid writing". The paper feels nice on the finger, smooth and nicely weighted, making each poem feel like the reader should take more time with each.

The poems themselves were nostalgic reading them as an adult. Of Summers riding bikes and being technology-free. The "How to Write a Poem" poems were great, walking readers through several ways to let their creativity take hold, and wait for a poem to arrive, not to rush the creative process. There were great examples of seasonal activities, experiences, and emotions.
Profile Image for Tabitha.
198 reviews55 followers
April 16, 2024
This was such a delightful read. I follow Grant Snider over on Threads where shares poetry comics including my favorite one called Words of Wonder. When I saw that a book was being released? I knew I had to read it, and to get ahold of it during National Poetry Month is even better. The poems are fun, but also reflect on things like issues with self-confidence and how hard it can be learn something yet in a way that shows understanding while also giving hope. There's even lovely comics about how to write poetry or what it's like to write that were super relatable. There were moments where I laughed, shook my head in agreement, and just found that I felt lighter and was unable to stop smiling at the joy I was feeling. I definitely recommend picking this book up when you get a chance. You'll be happy you did.
Profile Image for Marybeth.
51 reviews13 followers
June 10, 2024
This collection of poems is presented in comic strip form with bright eye-catching, yet simple, illustrations. The poems are sectioned off into seasons and follow two characters, a boy and girl, experiencing growth, nature, writing, and all the change that comes with it. The poems range from diving deep into contemplations to appreciating the simplicities of life all perfectly through the eyes of children. At the end of each season, a “How to Write a Poem'' page is included, which could definitely be used as springboards into lessons on creativity and writing poetry.
Presenting poems in this format makes them highly accessible to students who may have shied away from reading poetry otherwise. I highly recommend this collection for classroom use throughout the year, but especially during Poetry Month.
Profile Image for Mal.
206 reviews9 followers
February 16, 2024
Poetry is close to my heart because simple words can touch such fundamental topics and move sometimes a scaled heart. This time, I decided to take upon the book to add two elements to poetry, I would never think about: children's book and graphic novel/comic book. In its simplicity, the author underlines the simple moments of childhood, and the mindfulness of it, and brings charm to mundane tasks through the words and graphics. I love the drawings. Their colors and message helped to understand sometimes complex words. The poetry on its own had an impact and made me think after every page about the essence of life. The whole book is divided into 4 parts to represent each calendar season. For each season, we also get a bonus tip on how to write poetry.

Overall, the book is not only for children but easy to be an amazing gift for an adult who are looking for something to practice their mindfulness and connect to their inner child during their therapeutic journey.
Author 18 books9 followers
February 18, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book before publication.

This is just adorable. The artwork is cute, the story is cute, even the topics are cute. This book feels childlike, as though we’re experiencing the daily imagination of a child in these pages. I couldn’t stop thinking about Shel Silverstein while reading because this reminds me of him. There are many differences though, such as color and the layout of the page. I can easily see myself using this in the classroom as an example for visuals with poetry for my artistic students. And I’ll definitely share it with me daughter because I feel it has some important life lessons too.

I like that art was paired with the text. The images bring the words to life.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews

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