Drawn Onward

Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3

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 aloneHe was not so brave . . .His heart needed to knowThe answer.Enter a lush fantasy world in this lyrical, heartfelt story about a grieving boy who has lost hope and 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 illuminates what remains when our loved ones are gone.

About the Author

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.