Beware the Dragon and the Nozzlewock: A Graphic Novel Poetry Collection Full of Surprising Characters!

Gr 3 Up--A delightfully eccentric and quirky collection of poetry, set against brightly colored illustrations and graphic novel comic panels. From the many chapters about the nozzlewock to a man with a black belt in slouching, young readers will enjoy the silly bits told through a variety of poetic forms reminiscent of classic children's poets, such as Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky. Approximately 25 poems include characters ranging from woodland animals, aliens, children, and nagging nanas, to the titular dragon and nozzlewock. Some of the forms of poetry include concrete, ABAB, and others that have singsong rhymes to them--including one that is titled as a musical. Because the subject of each poem is goofy in nature, the flow of the book is fast and easy to follow for young readers. Artwork depicts subjects as cartoonlike, with bright colors and lots of movement and action. Some stories are contained in panels and some are more freely illustrated. VERDICT A fun purchase for elementary graphic novel and poetry collections due to the exciting nature of the poems and the self-contained stories.--Molly Dettmann

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

In varied but consistently tight verses accompanying expressive cartoon images depicting a diverse cast, Madan also trots in other memorable fancies, from a theatrical chorus line of grown-ups singing away a beleaguered child’s “Bad-Luck Bogeys” to a mummy happily joining a zombie rock band called the Rolling Moans, on the way to a gloriously glutinous finale in which a group of intrepid children tickle the Nozzlewock into a mighty sneeze of its own. Juicy, joyful, and just right for reading aloud, too.