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Drawn Onward
From the masterful pen of multi-award-winning Meg McKinlay and dynamic new illustrator Andrew Frazer, Drawn Onward explores shifting perspective and the inner voice. The text is a palindrome that takes readers from the glass half empty – ’There is no light on the horizon and it is foolish to think you can change anything at all’ – to the glass half full: ‘You can change anything at all. It is foolish to think there is no light on the horizon.’
This powerful picture book for older readers is a call to hope that cleverly illustrates how the very same situation can be viewed quite differently depending on your perspective.
This powerful picture book for older readers is a call to hope that cleverly illustrates how the very same situation can be viewed quite differently depending on your perspective.
32 pages, Hardcover
Published October 1, 2017
11 people want to read
About the author
Meg McKinlay
26 books70 followersMeg McKinlay is a children's writer and poet living in Fremantle, Western Australia.
She has published twenty-five books for young people, ranging from picture books through to young adult novels, and a collection of poetry for adults. Her work has won awards including the Prime Minister's Literary Award, the CBCA Picture Book of the Year Award, and the WA Premier's Book Award, among others.
A former academic, swimming teacher, Japanese interpreter and tour guide, Meg has accidentally lived her life in accordance with the song lyrics, "If you see a strange door to your left/then drop your things and run for it"*, which is how she found herself wrangling words for a living. Meg has no plans to drop writing, though, and is always cooking up more books.
* From 'Wildflowers', by Things of Stone and Wood
She has published twenty-five books for young people, ranging from picture books through to young adult novels, and a collection of poetry for adults. Her work has won awards including the Prime Minister's Literary Award, the CBCA Picture Book of the Year Award, and the WA Premier's Book Award, among others.
A former academic, swimming teacher, Japanese interpreter and tour guide, Meg has accidentally lived her life in accordance with the song lyrics, "If you see a strange door to your left/then drop your things and run for it"*, which is how she found herself wrangling words for a living. Meg has no plans to drop writing, though, and is always cooking up more books.
* From 'Wildflowers', by Things of Stone and Wood
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 1, 2018
Drawn Onward by Meg McKinlay and Andrew Fraser (Freemantle Press)
This is one of the cleverest books I’ve seen in ages. The books starts out in dull greenish-grey tones which depict a dejected fantasy character who believes there is no hope in the world and that s/he is a dismal failure. As each page turns and the narrator voices this character’s hopelessness the character is brought to his or her knees by a strange stone-looking object which gets bigger and bigger on each page UNTIL we reach the middle of the book when the narrator’s voice takes on a different, more encouraging and uplifting tone. This brings to life an almost identical creature, but one who has enthusiastic facial features and whose body language and attitude match this new tone. This is definitely a picture book for older readers (especially young adults and adults) and It may seem an odd book to put on my list, but there is so much in this book. It is not simply a string of feel good, pull up your socks type messages. Te fact that it first cripples you with such a negative script before bringing you (and the character) out of it makes it much more powerful. So much to talk about in this book.
https://www.fremantlepress.com.au/sys... -HR cover shot
This is one of the cleverest books I’ve seen in ages. The books starts out in dull greenish-grey tones which depict a dejected fantasy character who believes there is no hope in the world and that s/he is a dismal failure. As each page turns and the narrator voices this character’s hopelessness the character is brought to his or her knees by a strange stone-looking object which gets bigger and bigger on each page UNTIL we reach the middle of the book when the narrator’s voice takes on a different, more encouraging and uplifting tone. This brings to life an almost identical creature, but one who has enthusiastic facial features and whose body language and attitude match this new tone. This is definitely a picture book for older readers (especially young adults and adults) and It may seem an odd book to put on my list, but there is so much in this book. It is not simply a string of feel good, pull up your socks type messages. Te fact that it first cripples you with such a negative script before bringing you (and the character) out of it makes it much more powerful. So much to talk about in this book.
https://www.fremantlepress.com.au/sys... -HR cover shot
January 16, 2021
The subtitle of this book sums it up perfectly: A back to front to back tale of hopelessness and hope.
An unusual picture book in both text and illustrative style that focuses on how your outlook on life effects your happiness and well being. Told in stylised illustrated block letters, and the use of idioms and popular phrases, the reader sees a rabbit like creature succumb to depression as it continually looks at the worse possible outcomes and the weight on its back gets bigger and heavier, dragging him down. The arrival of a companion to cast a positive light on events and view of the world results in a wonderful change as the bag gets smaller, the body straighter and the world becomes more colourful - from hopelessness to hope!
An unusual picture book in both text and illustrative style that focuses on how your outlook on life effects your happiness and well being. Told in stylised illustrated block letters, and the use of idioms and popular phrases, the reader sees a rabbit like creature succumb to depression as it continually looks at the worse possible outcomes and the weight on its back gets bigger and heavier, dragging him down. The arrival of a companion to cast a positive light on events and view of the world results in a wonderful change as the bag gets smaller, the body straighter and the world becomes more colourful - from hopelessness to hope!
September 3, 2017
It's all about perspective. One can choose to see things as good or bad - positive or negative - glass half full. This attractive picture book for older readers shows how flipping a negative outlook on its head can make the world of difference. A simple enough idea, but something it's so easy to forget when in the midst of a busy life. Recommended for everyone.
November 28, 2018
Re-read
I picked this up because the concept was intriguing: a back-to-front book where the meaning read in the text depended on perspective. I appreciate that the same text can be construed quite differently depending on context, so perhaps I oversold the concept to myself? Certainly an interesting book but if you are expecting an epiphany at the end, you may be left underwhelmed. I suspect a school-aged reader would better appreciate this.
I picked this up because the concept was intriguing: a back-to-front book where the meaning read in the text depended on perspective. I appreciate that the same text can be construed quite differently depending on context, so perhaps I oversold the concept to myself? Certainly an interesting book but if you are expecting an epiphany at the end, you may be left underwhelmed. I suspect a school-aged reader would better appreciate this.
October 14, 2017
I liked the first half. The back end makes me want to vomit.
October 26, 2017
So cleverly written, beautifully illustrated and gorgeously hopeful.
April 2, 2024
This was a very short and to-the-point book about not letting yourself become your own obstacle. Interesting format of ending up where it started but from a different perspective.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews