Words and Pictures by Grant Snider
I used to follow Grant Snider on social media and was a big fan of his Incidental Comics, so when I saw this book was coming out it was an immediate preorder for me. Then I discovered he’s already published many of those old online comics in previous books such as The Shape of Ideas and I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf, and I just haven’t been paying attention. Those collections are great and many of the comics in them, being about writing, reading, art, and creativity, would be engaging to share with students, but this new collection is filled with all-new comic poems written and drawn specifically for young people.
Each comic poem stands on its own, but they are arranged in the book by sections for the temperate seasons and build on each other, reminiscent of Julie Fogliano and Julie Morstad’s When Green Becomes Tomatoes collection from a few years ago (also excellent.) The comic poems are extremely accessible. The words and pictures in each comic work together, as they should. They are not too wordy and would work well for emerging and reluctant readers. They are just fun to look at and there are a bunch that I want to print out and hang up. Snider’s signature format is a phenomenal crossover to introduce poetry fans to the possibilities of comics and sequential art, and vice versa.
These poems constantly invite and inspire the reader to put their hand to writing and drawing, as well as exploring, playing, connecting, thinking, etc. The possible classroom, library activity, and just plain old life applications for young and not-so-young people are nearly limitless. I feel like every school library would benefit from adding this book to their collection and sharing these graphic art poems with students and teachers.
Reviewed by Joshua Whiting, Media/Technology Specialist, Granite Educational Technology Department
Review shared in March 2024
Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 2 and Up (but some comics could probably be shared with even younger students)
Poetry Comics
Written and Illustrated by Grant Snider
Chronicle Books
96 pages
Release Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9781797219653
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
