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FINALIST 2025 WASHINGTON STATE BOOK AWARDS
Books for Younger Readers |
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How many different words can reviewers use to describe the same book?!?
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An International Children's Library 2025 White Raven List pick
One of only 13 American books in a list of 209 noteworthy books from 65 countries in 49 languages.
One of only 13 American books in a list of 209 noteworthy books from 65 countries in 49 languages.
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★ "Juicy, joyful, and just right for reading aloud" - Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
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★ "...humorous... innovative... zany... rollicking... thrilling..." - The Horn Book, Starred Review |
Beware the Dragon and the Nozzlewock: A Hilarious Graphic Novel Poetry Collection Full of Surprising Characters, written and illustrated by Vikram Madan, published by Astra/WordSong, 2024.
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Funny Poems + Comic Format + Innovative Storytelling = Triple the Fun!Perfect for fans of Jack Prelutsky and Shel Silverstein, award-winning author Vikram Madan’s new poetry collection features delicious vocabulary, hilarious poems, and a full-color graphic novel format!
Vikram Madan packs this collection with whimsical stories told in rhyme, surprise twist after surprise twist, and a host of unusual characters. In these pages, you’ll meet ghost guppies (and the brave girl who creates them), Stan the Slouching Man™ who’ll teach you blackbelt slouching, oozing dinosaurs called squishosaurs, a suspicious dragon, and the Nozzlewock (a nose with super-vacuum strength), among many other memorable heroes. Recurring characters and subplots in the art weave the poems together, adding to the merriment. This quirky collection in full-color graphic novel format begs to be read over and over again. If you enjoyed Vikram's multiple-award-winning funny poetry book A HATFUL OF DRAGONS you will LOVE LOVE LOVE this book, which not only clocks in at 128 pages, but it is also illustrated in FULL COLOR and is in a graphic novel format, sure to lure in poetry seekers, graphic novel fans, and kids and adults of all ages. Look for signed copies at: Island Books | Brick and Mortar Books | Saltwater Bookshop Purchase: Bookshop.Org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Hudson | Powells | Target | Walmart | Island Books | Brick and Mortar Books Also available as an audiobook narrated by the author, available on all audiobook channels. |
"One of the finest, funniest poetry books you'll have encountered in a long time!"
- Librarian Betsy Bird, School Library Journal Blog
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What Booksellers Are Saying:
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"I enjoyed this sharp, snarky collection of illustrated poems that feel familiar (think Poe, Carroll) but have a charm all their own. I'm a sucker for poetry parodies that have good meter, and throw in unexpected vocabulary like causality and palpitated, and I'm hooked."
- Books Inc. San Leandro, California "A brilliant collection of illustrated poetry with a narrative arc that will have readers of all ages turning pages to find out what happens with the Nozzlewock!" - Island Books Mercer Island, Washington |
"If Hitchhiker's Guide was a poetry book for children... This quirky and adorable book is more than a poetry anthology, it is also a graphic novel full of wacky characters whose surreal stories intersect as the poems go on. Read once for the vibes, then again and again as you hunt for all the references not only to other poems in this book, but beloved classics like Jabberwocky (referenced by the eponymous Nozzlewock I) or Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening (Deep, Dark, and Lovely). Whether you are reading it to yourself, to your family, or to your classroom, Beware the Dragon and the Nozzlewock is sure to make your audience laugh."
- Book Ends Bookstore Winchester, Massachusetts |
Okay, okay, so everyone wants to know: What the heck is a 'GRAPHIC NOVEL POETRY COLLECTION'?
Short answer: A poetry collection (full of funny poems like those of Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky), but the tales are visual and told in a comic format.
Most poetry collections just have 'spot' illustrations, which are one-off humorous drawings that supplement the poem, but aren't essential to reading or enjoying the poem. In this collection the visuals are an integral part of the experience. While you could enjoy the poem by itself without any visuals, the experience is magnified a hundred-fold with visual story-telling and humor, thus creating a full sensory multimodal experience for the reader
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In other words, very very fun to read and tremendously more fun to look at! To make it even more interesting, details sprinkled throughout the book cross-connect the poems and narratives to each other. The eagle-eyed reader will have a lot of fun finding all the connections.
Here are some example spreads from the book (click on images to view):
Short answer: A poetry collection (full of funny poems like those of Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky), but the tales are visual and told in a comic format.
Most poetry collections just have 'spot' illustrations, which are one-off humorous drawings that supplement the poem, but aren't essential to reading or enjoying the poem. In this collection the visuals are an integral part of the experience. While you could enjoy the poem by itself without any visuals, the experience is magnified a hundred-fold with visual story-telling and humor, thus creating a full sensory multimodal experience for the reader
.
In other words, very very fun to read and tremendously more fun to look at! To make it even more interesting, details sprinkled throughout the book cross-connect the poems and narratives to each other. The eagle-eyed reader will have a lot of fun finding all the connections.
Here are some example spreads from the book (click on images to view):
Here is a flip-through of the book:
Some More Excerpts From The Book:
Praise for this book from the experts:
★ “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.” – Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“If there is anything you can say of the book, it’s consistently interesting, ridiculously funny, and inherently silly…one of the finest, funniest poetry books you’ll have encountered in a long time. For those of you lucky enough to have already read A Hatful of Dragons, this is just as good, if not better. I’m not saying that Madan’s unique form of humor, comics, and verse will save poetry as we know it, but I’m not NOT saying it either. Just hand it to a kid when they ask for something funny. You’ll be doing them a favor (and isn’t it nice to hand out a work of poetry during a month other than just April?). Clever stuff.” --Besty Bird, School Library Journal Fuse 8 blog
"Young readers devour books in graphic format, whether they’re novels, graphic nonfiction, traditional comics—or innovative works like Vikram Madan’s newest, Beware the Dragon and the Nozzlewock: A Graphic Novel Poetry Collection Full of Surprising Characters! This collection from the former engineer is funny and quirky: the sort of book you give to kids who claim not to like poetry, as well as those who do. Madan celebrates wordplay, and doesn’t shy away from unusual or long words. Throughout, Madan’s background in STEM shines in poems on topics like wormholes and scientists. Bursting with energy and bright images in an appealing artistic style, Beware the Dragon and the Nozzlewock is smart, sassy and perfect for reading alone or out loud together."--BookPage
"This follow-up to Geisel Honor book author Madan's A Hatful of Dragons (2020) is an entertaining collection of intertwined stories told in bouncy rhyming lines....Madan's playful book cleverly ties together poetry and graphic storytelling in a book filled with fun humor sure to please readers. The zany illustrations of the many madcap antics and wild happenings are full of bright colors and amplify the humor in the poems. Hand this to any kid, even the poetry-reluctant, who are looking for a laugh."--Booklist
“A delightfully eccentric and quirky collection of poetry, set against brightly colored illustrations and graphic novel comic panels...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...A fun purchase for elementary graphic novel and poetry collections due to the exciting nature of the poems and the self-contained stories.” --School Library Journal
"This humorous collection features twenty-five story-poems presented in an innovative comic format. Kooky cartoon characters star in the wildly colorful digital illustrations full of vivid purple, orange, and lime green. The zany cast...tell their intersecting stories in continuous rollicking rhymes full of wordplay, hyperbole, and deadpan humor. Madan delights in infusing his poems with advanced, even complicated vocabulary that will both challenge and intrigue young readers. [Madan] plays with the panels on the page, with shifting perspective, and with embedding countless, thrilling tiny details to discover in the illustrations." -- The Horn Book, starred review
"Bursting with energy and bright images, Beware the Dragon and the Nozzlewock is smart, sassy and perfect for reading alone or out loud together." -- BookPage
"You’ve read graphic novels, but what about a graphic poetry collection? This new offering is unique, and it’s a terrific way to draw young skeptics into the world of poetry. This entertaining find is ideal for elementary readers, but older kids will love it too! " -- We Are Teachers
“This madcap collection of poems features a wild and crazy cast of characters...there's a bunch of crazy science going on too. Many of the characters reappear from time to time, adding to the fun and continuity of this poetry collection. This would be a great introduction to poetry for those who may not consider themselves fans of the genre. The poems are hilarious, and the graphic novel format will appeal to all kinds of readers." --A Kids Book A Day
“The poetry in this fun, fast-paced collection is reminiscent of some of Jack Prelutsky’s books...both in its thematic nature as well as the way Madan makes the nonsensical seem commonplace. Also like Prelutsky, the silliness is intelligent: rich vocabulary and scientific references permeate the text, and there’s even a tribute to Robert Frost in “Deep, Dark, and Lovely.” It is the graphic novel format that really sets this book...apart from the rest of the poetry shelf. Brightly-colored, comic-style illustrations bring the poems and characters to life with expressive faces and body language, onomatopoeia, and detailed backgrounds. Readers will love poring over every page to look for recurring characters and funny elements in the scenery" --Youth Service Book Reviews
“If there is anything you can say of the book, it’s consistently interesting, ridiculously funny, and inherently silly…one of the finest, funniest poetry books you’ll have encountered in a long time. For those of you lucky enough to have already read A Hatful of Dragons, this is just as good, if not better. I’m not saying that Madan’s unique form of humor, comics, and verse will save poetry as we know it, but I’m not NOT saying it either. Just hand it to a kid when they ask for something funny. You’ll be doing them a favor (and isn’t it nice to hand out a work of poetry during a month other than just April?). Clever stuff.” --Besty Bird, School Library Journal Fuse 8 blog
"Young readers devour books in graphic format, whether they’re novels, graphic nonfiction, traditional comics—or innovative works like Vikram Madan’s newest, Beware the Dragon and the Nozzlewock: A Graphic Novel Poetry Collection Full of Surprising Characters! This collection from the former engineer is funny and quirky: the sort of book you give to kids who claim not to like poetry, as well as those who do. Madan celebrates wordplay, and doesn’t shy away from unusual or long words. Throughout, Madan’s background in STEM shines in poems on topics like wormholes and scientists. Bursting with energy and bright images in an appealing artistic style, Beware the Dragon and the Nozzlewock is smart, sassy and perfect for reading alone or out loud together."--BookPage
"This follow-up to Geisel Honor book author Madan's A Hatful of Dragons (2020) is an entertaining collection of intertwined stories told in bouncy rhyming lines....Madan's playful book cleverly ties together poetry and graphic storytelling in a book filled with fun humor sure to please readers. The zany illustrations of the many madcap antics and wild happenings are full of bright colors and amplify the humor in the poems. Hand this to any kid, even the poetry-reluctant, who are looking for a laugh."--Booklist
“A delightfully eccentric and quirky collection of poetry, set against brightly colored illustrations and graphic novel comic panels...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...A fun purchase for elementary graphic novel and poetry collections due to the exciting nature of the poems and the self-contained stories.” --School Library Journal
"This humorous collection features twenty-five story-poems presented in an innovative comic format. Kooky cartoon characters star in the wildly colorful digital illustrations full of vivid purple, orange, and lime green. The zany cast...tell their intersecting stories in continuous rollicking rhymes full of wordplay, hyperbole, and deadpan humor. Madan delights in infusing his poems with advanced, even complicated vocabulary that will both challenge and intrigue young readers. [Madan] plays with the panels on the page, with shifting perspective, and with embedding countless, thrilling tiny details to discover in the illustrations." -- The Horn Book, starred review
"Bursting with energy and bright images, Beware the Dragon and the Nozzlewock is smart, sassy and perfect for reading alone or out loud together." -- BookPage
"You’ve read graphic novels, but what about a graphic poetry collection? This new offering is unique, and it’s a terrific way to draw young skeptics into the world of poetry. This entertaining find is ideal for elementary readers, but older kids will love it too! " -- We Are Teachers
“This madcap collection of poems features a wild and crazy cast of characters...there's a bunch of crazy science going on too. Many of the characters reappear from time to time, adding to the fun and continuity of this poetry collection. This would be a great introduction to poetry for those who may not consider themselves fans of the genre. The poems are hilarious, and the graphic novel format will appeal to all kinds of readers." --A Kids Book A Day
“The poetry in this fun, fast-paced collection is reminiscent of some of Jack Prelutsky’s books...both in its thematic nature as well as the way Madan makes the nonsensical seem commonplace. Also like Prelutsky, the silliness is intelligent: rich vocabulary and scientific references permeate the text, and there’s even a tribute to Robert Frost in “Deep, Dark, and Lovely.” It is the graphic novel format that really sets this book...apart from the rest of the poetry shelf. Brightly-colored, comic-style illustrations bring the poems and characters to life with expressive faces and body language, onomatopoeia, and detailed backgrounds. Readers will love poring over every page to look for recurring characters and funny elements in the scenery" --Youth Service Book Reviews
A series of behind-the-scenes posts about the making of this book:
From the HORN BOOK, Summer 2025 Reading List.
PSST: also check out all of Vikram's other poetry collections, available from bookstores and libraries everywhere. (And if they are not available at your local book source, just ask them to get it for you).
Keywords: Funny Poems, Poetry, Humorous Poetry, Graphic Novel, Comics, Poems, Poetry for Kids, Children's Poetry, Dragon, Nozzlewock, Shel Silverstein, Jack Prelutsky, Ogden Nash, Dorothy Parker, Sequential Art, Cartoon, Whimsical, Humor, Books for Kids.