Drawn Onward: An Emotional Fantasy About Grief and Hope for Children

by Daniel Nayeri, Matt Rockefeller (Illustrator)

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.

Genres: Picture Books, Fantasy, Grief, Adventure, Childrens, Family, Death

40 pages, Hardcover

First published October 8, 2024

About the author

Daniel Nayeri is a writer and editor in New York City. He wrote and produced The Cult of Sincerity, the first feature film to be world-premiered by YouTube. He has had all kinds of jobs around books, including book repairman, literary agent, used bookstore clerk, children's librarian, Official Story-Time Reader Leader, editor, copy-editor, and even carpenter (making bookshelves). He's also a professional pastry chef. He loves Street Fighter 2, hates the word "foodie," and is an award-winning stuntman.

Daniel and his sister/co-writer Dina were both born in Iran and spent many young adult years in Europe. There they learned several languages between them and tried Frosted Flakes for the first time.

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not pick up on the palindrome, even though I noticed all the onomatopoeia were palindromes. I DID pick up on the setting and story structure heavily inspired by The Legend of Zelda, one of my favorite video game series of all time.

I really enjoyed flipping through each page, front and back at the same time, going towards the middle, and seeing the mirrored layouts as well as the symmetrical text.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

In a fantasy world, a little boy grieving the death of his mother sets off on a dangerous quest in search of some sort of answer to all the questions he has and the emotions he is feeling.

His adventures are largely told in pantomime and the few words strung through the book are promoted as being part of a palindrome, though not a traditional palindrome, operating more on a phrase level rather than individual letters. Instead of, "A man, a plan, a canal, Panama!" we are offered:

"She was gone. And besides that, he no longer believed . . . they would make it." (The opening line.)

"They would make it. And besides that, he no longer believed . . . she was gone." (The closing line.)

The subject matter may be too heavy for some children, and having to interpret all the pictures may be frustrating to parents who just want to mindlessly read words at bedtime.

It's ambitious and aims for uplifting in the end, but it's just not a fun read-aloud experience.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really beautiful and an interesting premise but it doesn't quite coalesce. The words are too separate from each other that I felt like I had to turn back to remember what I had read before. It was just a bit disjointed and made me not enjoy it as much

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oddly delightful - crafted as a palindrome/chiasm at the word/sentence level. The resulting narrative is a bit cryptic, but packs an emotional punch. And once you see what Nayeri is up to, it’s a wonder to compare the parallel text and images. Delightfully odd!

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very very unique.

I find Daniel Nayeri fascinating (hearing him at ALSC was awesome). He'd be one who would write an entire picture book like a palindrome. And indeed, this is a lovely story about grief and how we struggle for answers. How we find rays of hope in what we are left behind.

Once the reader is aware that this book is a indeed a palindrome, the lyricism just leaps off the page. I also adore that it shows how unique the English language is. Words restructured, a comma placed in a different location, can change so much!

[James W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book - both story and illustrations - of a child’s journey through grief. Especially noteworthy is that the entire book is a palindrome, making it even more rich and rewarding to compare the beginning and ending of the book. Clever, thoughtful, relatable, and inspiring!

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely BEAUTIFUL in illustration, message, poetry, and palindrome. This book has it all! 😍

[beatrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

so beautiful made me cry i am become leaky faucet

[Shella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolute gorgeous illustrations- it is a graphic novel picture book. Palindromes were a bonus.

[Xpiotiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely stunning. 12 out of 10, no notes, only appreciative tears.

[Bethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. I knew the title of the book was a palindrome, but I didn’t realize all the story text was as well. Had to go back and check it. Don’t think young readers will notice, they will be caught up in all the details of the illustrations and the boy’s journey through grief. Lush illustrations remind me of a cross between Aaron Becker and Kay O’Neill. Love the fluffy tail squirrel/doggy critter!

[Jessica Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book feels like a mix between a typical children's book, and a graphic novel and I think it is a format that works well for this story. A boy is grieving and must find his way to figuring out what he needs to know. Beautifully illustrated. The pictures tell as much or more about the story than than words do. Definitely a book I'd be happy to add to my personal library.

[Nrlhakimin · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Mom, were you glad you were mom?”, the boy asked.

As a mother, it hit me hard because behind that question is a child looking for love, reassurance and healing. What he’s really asking is that..
👉 Did I make you happy?
👉 Did I matter to you?
👉 Were you proud to be my mom even though you’re not here anymore?
😭😭😭

Drawn Onward by Daniel Nayeri, illustrated by Matt Rockefeller is a deeply moving picture book about grief in a way that is gentle and imaginative. It follows a boy who misses his mom and sets out on a magical forest journey to find answers and peace.

The story is written as a palindrome where you can read it forward and backward.. Just like how grief makes us revisit memories and moments over and over. Reading it from backward is much more painful for me 😭

The artwork is stunning and though it’s a children’s book, it speaks to adults too. I read it with my kids and it led to a beautiful, quiet conversation about love, memory and letting go.

This is a must-read book especially for families going through loss or big changes. It’s not just a story. It’s a journey of the heart.

Thank you @putrifariza & @times.reads for this beautiful book and the reminder to cherish each moment that I have with my boys🥹💖

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

High-concept and virtually wordless, the limited text in this picture book is a palindrome. The thing with Daniel Nayeri is that none of his stories fit nicely in boxes, and I find that so exciting. This story about grief is definitely a picture book, except for when it is a graphic novel. With an abiding message about how memories, grief, and life move and change and go on, this is a beautiful book. The art work is compelling and adventurous, if not the most refined -- and all for the better.

[Christine Barth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really beautiful and a cool book that is a palindrome, but the whole tone and mood changes in the second half as the word-poem is reversed. I do think this is one of those kids books that only grown-ups like, also the spiritual experience in the forest is a bit ambiguous (likely on purpose to hit more people). It is about a boy grieving his dead mother, so tears will ensue for moms.

[S46354595 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apparently the artist has a pet fox? Maybe? I want one...listen...I know they're smelly and poop everywhere...but they're so cute...

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful art style but the story is not very engaging and not enjoyable to read to someone who is 4 as there needs to be a lot of interpreting from the illustrations.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A poetic look at the topic of death and loss through the stages of the grieving process as a young boy must journey alone to ask the question that festers in his thoughts.

[Pastels Passions · Rating 5 out of 5]

kinda absolutely love that this was a palindrome

[Jonathon Crump · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book, brilliant concept, fantastic illustrations.

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Artwork is outstanding, difficult subject matter, but handled well

[Sarah N · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever, heartfelt, and full of eye-catching details.

[Emvee ⚔ Woman Lover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terribly sad but so beautiful, the art was incredible and cozy <3

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An almost wordless picture book that also reads like a graphic novel, this stunning book will take you on an unbelievable adventure. The illustrations are the star of the show and tell an amazing story! This is one you can read over and over and discover something new each time you do. (And warning...the touching storyline will have you shedding a few tears along the way!)

[Jimmie Cuevas · Rating 5 out of 5]

True bravery starts with self-reflection and the courage to confront the answers we seek, even when we fear what the truth may reveal.

This book, Drawn Onward, was written by Daniel Nayeri and illustrated by Matt Rockefeller, and will take you on an emotional rollercoaster just from the title page and every other page till the end. As a reader, you are invested in this story the moment the book is in your hands, as we begin with a boy, his father, and his family pet in their beautiful home, yet someone is missing. You, as the reader, know who is missing, and you begin to feel the pain this child is feeling. The only thing left for this boy is the answer to a question that will heal his mind, spirit, and heart. A question so intensely needed for him that he embarks on a journey to find it, no matter what dangers may arise, to cope with the loss and grief of a loved one. A loved one who is gone forever. Humanity deals with grief in so many ways. There is no right or wrong way to feel or deal with such strong emotions as the loss of a person, place, or thing. Some people compartmentalize feelings of grief, some try to erase it from the brain housing group because the pain and emotions are so intense but for our main character, a young boy, his journey is a journey we all need to take as we need to self-reflect, get the answers we need and seek, to truly realize the people or things we really love that have passed and never truly ever gone.

One major theme of this book is grief. This picture book has very few words, but you don’t really need them to understand the plot. On the first page, you understand this central theme as you see a father and his son on the couch, with a beautiful family photo behind them on the wall, smiles, and everyone together in a warm embrace. However, the young boy on the couch is wrapped in a blanket, perhaps to replace the warmth once provided by the person missing from the photo — his mother — and the three words supplied by the author of “She was gone.”

Another theme of this book is bravery. Every day is a reminder of the person he loves so dear that even an event they used to do together, like cooking a meal, can trigger emotions. A trigger and reminder that sends our main character on a journey through dark woods laced with many dangerous obstacles, with no help in sight, no voice but his own to be heard, and a hazardous journey only he can and must take. Our author is only providing five words this time: “His heart needed to know.”

The main genre of this book is adventure. Through reading this book, I learned that children process their emotions differently from how we adults do—allowing a child to process their feelings in their own way, but being available, vulnerable, and empathetic is the key to healing together. Children need to find their own voice, strength, and resilience because these qualities will provide a stronger foundation for personal growth and bravery as they get older. A child who reads this book can take the journey of this boy in this story and possibly find similarities in it to help them cope with the loss of a loved one and showcase the process of grief and the journey towards acceptance and healing.

This book is a WoW book for me because of how it was organized and written in a style I had never heard of or experienced before: palindrome—a story that can be read in either direction, front to back or back to front. You feel and are part of this story with every page if you look at the details and artistry of the illustrator. The author used multiple literary devices and other forms of writing craft in this book. First, the author used narrative illustration. Although there is little text in this book, the sequence of events in the storyline provides the context for the suspense and action on each page as the boys' adventure to find the answer they seek unfolds. Second, the author used descriptive illustration by providing us with one word, “… the answer,” and the illustrations entrench us in a scene of being within inches of the boy's goal and the suspense of whether this child really wants to know the answer. This book is an anti-bias book because we all experience grief. Grief does not have a bias. It does not care who or what you are. The book has been awarded the CBCA Picture Book of the Year and the NPR Best Book of the Year. Through grief, we can understand empathy, and that’s what great and WoW books do — they bring us into a world where we can all feel and learn something together.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOTE: Reviewed from a final copy from the publisher.

What would you expect from a book with a palindrome title? A story told and illustrated as a palindrome, of course!

A young boy, grieving from the loss of his mother, leaves his father and home behind to go on a quest to search for her. Alone in the woods, he encounters curious creatures, nearly loses his life, meets a water serpent, washes up on a desert shore, enters an abandoned castle, and asks a statue the Big Question. When he receives his answer, the boy returns home the way he came.

Nayeri has delivered a masterpiece of simplicity. The story and book itself is a palindrome. The text on the first 2 page spread matches that of the last spread. The second mirrors the next to last. This pretty much continues until the middle of the book, which contains the Big Question. The text of two spreads needed a word or two adjusted between its mirror page in order to make the story fall into place. The first half of the book reflects the boy's grief; the second half, his joy. The spare text is practically perfect in every way. Nayeri's pacing and tempo are perfection, as well.

Stunning illustrations by Matt Rockefeller stand in stark contrast to Nayeri's words, as they are filled with so much detail they expand the story in so many ways. Most have a beautiful border around each illustration, with some borders in the first half of the book carrying a gloomy tone (ex. thorny vines growing around the illustration, cold kitchen warmed only by sunlight streaking through a window and no food on the plate in the border, etc.) while the second half finishes with a brighter overall color palette and both hope and joy in each image and their borders. Artwork was created using Mitsubishi Hi-uni pencils on Arches Hot Press watercolor paper and painted digitally with custom brushes in Adobe Photoshop.

A beautiful story, beautifully executed, this would be an excellent exemplar to pair with Marilyn Singer's Mirror, Mirror for students to read, study, and write their own palindrome stories or poems. Grief counselors might find this story is a useful tool to get conversations started with young clients.

Include in units on creative writing, literary devices, fantasy, adventures, and grief.

Highly Recommended for grades PreK-3.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

These illustrations capture the imagination and lead on a fantastical journey to delight the adventurer and encourage the soul.

A boy feels lost after the death of his mother and wanders into the forest, deeper than he should go. From there a grabbing, graphic adventure begins, which draws into a world of wonder.

This book is an illustrative delight. There is some text but just enough to set the stage and add needed highlights here and there to guide the tale through. The rest is a visual quest, which takes the boy on a rich journey of discovery, surprises, tension, and growth. The details are imaginative and awaken fascination. While the main thread of the boy's journey is clear, there's quite a bit of room for each reader to notice different moments and take everything in on a more personal direction. In other words, each reader will have subtle differences in how they see the boy's journey. Even visiting these images time and again will lead to new discoveries and let dreams fly each time. It flows a bit like a graphic novel with smaller panels overlayed on the main one...like a picture book hugging the graphic novel form. This keeps the tension high the entire way through.

While this book does handle grief, it is subtle. The reader needs to read a little between the lines, but it's still clear what the boy's problem is. While the first scene gives a basic impression of the relationship and worries the boy and his father have, the rest bounds into discovery and danger, keeping uncertainty close. This changes more toward the end into amazement with new-found understanding. The grief theme slides through as a very gentle side to the rich fantasy, drawing more meaning toward the end to wrap off with a final sense of hope.

These graphics are enjoyable for even adults to gaze through, and the meaning behind them carries enough depth to have this oldest age group thinking. I'm not sure the youngest end of the intended age group will catch much more than the basic message, since there is quite a bit of visual symbolism going on, but the older end of the intended reader level will be able to sink into the moment. It's masterfully woven and glides through the theme with wisdom and never a sense of preachy purpose.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the art in this book, but the work overall didn't really resonate with me. It was only when I was about to write my review (and in the process found a completely different book with the same title) that I recognized the palindromic nature of the title, which led me to see that the words were also structured palindromically (on a line-by-line basis, with acceptable changes in punctuation and one really forced bit at the end). Although I can appreciate the cleverness of this, it doesn't make up for how awkward and spacey feeling the narration feels without this insight.

I also have some problems with the visual story as it is told. As the boy goes on his adventure, he travels through a series of locations and interacts with the inhabitants there, before revisiting them in reverse order on his way back. For most of them he has a positive interaction: he draws up water for the faeries at the well, pulls weapons out of the skin of the sea serpent, saves a gnome from a fall. The only exception is the cool sigil-marked giant spiders in the forest, who he drives off with a glowing gem. This is blatant anti-arachnid sentiment and jarringly out of place with the rest of the story. Also, the beginning and the end of the story strongly imply that there was no actual adventure, indicating that all of the places and creatures he encountered were simply imaginative extrapolations of things in the garden around his home.

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous book which I think I am going to have to read a few times to fully absorb all the details. I didn't know it was a palindrome when I bought the book - I collect children's books but especially ones dealing with death and grief and so that combined with the front cover drew me in. This one is truly unique - reads like a quest or adventure and the pages are crammed with colour and detail, so much to take in and pore over.

Reading the book backwards and forwards just messes with my brain - it's the kind of book that makes me insanely jealous of the talents and imagination of both the illustrator and the writer.

The main question the character asks in the book is thoughtful, beautiful and hit me right in the gut. One I wish I could ask my own Mum and one I hope my own children know the answer to. I see people saying that maybe children wouldn't understand or 'get' this book. I think that's not giving children enough credit. I would have loved this book as a child, I was quite interested in the subject even then, even though I didn't experience this kind of grief until adulthood - I would have maybe needed an adult to guide me through it and talk about it but that's no bad thing, it encourages questions and discussion. The illustrations are in warm tones and not frightening. I would have found the whole palindrome side of things very cool - as I do now.

I will be looking out for more work by these two.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The art is incredible. It's like being in a video game or a fantasy animated film. It's gorgeous. I normally don't see picture books with this type of art! And I loved the font choice - it gives a fantasy game vibe. I immediately was like OH NOOO because the first sentence is "She was gone." with a sad husband and boy sitting on the couch together below a picture of their happy family of three. It was over for me. The scene where he's crying and asking his mom if she's glad she was his mom with his happy memories surrounding him...oh boy.

I love the palindrome usage - from the title (Drawn Onwards) to the way the story unfolds, it's wonderful. The boy feels alone at the beginning, goes through all these scary things by himself, sees his mom, and then goes back through all those scary things and instead is able to help others in them where he was scared/chased off before, and it ends with him making the soup from his mom's recipe with his dad, and his dad and the boy ending up on the couch together.

The theme of handling grief (even in the title, of being drawn onwards) and having hope is clear. Enjoyable read! Very sparse on words and very illustration/emotionally heavy so I would recommend for older children.