Beware the Dragon and the Nozzlewock

Praise

★ “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

★ “This humorous collection features twenty-five story-poems presented in an innovative comic format. Kooky cartoon mcharacters star in the wildly colorful digital illustrations full of vivid purple, orange, and lime green. The zany cast includes (alongside a diverse group of children and grownups) ghost guppies, Squishosaurs, a salesmoose, and of coursethe titular dragon and Nozzlewock—“the nose with super-vacuum strength.” They tell their intersecting stories incontinuous 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… embedding countless, thrilling tiny details to discover in the illustrations.”—The Horn Book, 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

“Vikram Madan is like a modern day Shel Silverstein. His books full of humor and poetry have been favorites of my own kids.” —Kazu Kibuishi, NYT Bestselling Creator of the AMULET Graphic Novel Series

“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

“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.”—Robin Stern, Books Inc., San Leandro, CA

“So much fun! Kids are bound to love!”—Dan Ullom, Brick & Mortar Books Redmond, WA
 
“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.” —Amanda Zarni, Book Ends Bookstore, Winchester, MA
 
“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!”—Sarah Threlkeld, Island Books, Merced Island, WA