A boy struggling after the loss of his mother goes on a fantasy adventure and finds peace in her memory.
*Drawn Onward by Daniel Nayeri. Harper Alley, 2024. 32 pages.
- Reading Level: Picture book, ages 8-12
- Recommended For: Ages 8-12
“She was gone.”
So begins this story of a boy trying to process his grief through a fantasy adventure, braving dangers in order to reach a place that honors her memory so he can ask one burning question:
“Mom, were you glad you were Mom?”
There he finds peace to return home, passing through the same places that were so threatening before, but now with healing power that restores harmony.
The fantasy is carried through illustrations which are full of detail, encouraging further examination. Is the boy only going to the woods to gather stew ingredients? How does he survive the dangers? Does the sword he pulls from the garden as he runs away mark his mother’s grave? (Note the transformation of the hilt.)
Readers may not notice the first time through that the sentences and phrases of the story are a specific type of wordplay woven from beginning to end. The title, handwritten sound effects, and the central question are a hint, but it may take an extra reading or two to appreciate the subtle complexity of such an apparently simple text. Read it until you get it.
Nayeri loves experimenting with story forms, and this is certainly exceptional.
Remember, unless a book is starred, a review is not necessarily a recommendation. Read more about our ratings here.
Recommended Reading at Redeemed Reader
- Book Review: Like quests? How about Journey by Aaron Becker?
- Book Review: Here’s another quest picture book…with a dragon.
- Resource: We’ve reviewed two of Nayeri’s other books, Everything Sad is Untrue and The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams. We also interviewed him here.
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