The Year I Stopped Drawing out now from Amulet Books; 312 pages
Content Warning: Bullying, substance abuse
About the Author and Illustrator: “Grant Snider began drawing and writing before he knew what he was doing. Soon it was too late to stop. His work has appeared in The New York Times Book Review, The Kansas City Star, The Best American Comics 2013, and all across the internet. Grant lives in Wichita, Kansas with his wife, daughter, and four sons. He has a day job as an orthodontist. You can often find him carrying a sketchbook, lost in his own thoughts” (Bio from author’s website).
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Adam has always been known for his artistic abilities. He’s found comfort and joy in expressing himself through drawing. However, this school year brings challenges he never expected. Tension between his parents makes home life difficult, a bully turns school into a struggle, and the arrival of a talented new artist named Marisa leaves Adam questioning his own abilities. As he tries to navigate these changes, the passion that once came so naturally to him begins to fade. Drawing has always been an important part of his identity and it no longer provides the same sense of happiness or security. Caught between the pressures of growing up and the fear of losing what makes him unique, Adam must find his footing as he faces an increasingly unfamiliar world.
Grant Snider explores family struggles, insecurity, friendship, and the awkwardness of growing up in this illustrated novel in verse. I appreciated how realistically Adam’s challenges were portrayed, particularly the helplessness of watching your family change and the frustration of dealing with a bully. Adam’s gradual journey toward opening himself up again has some genuinely sweet moments, and I loved the illustrations, which add personality and emotion to his experiences. That said, this was just an okay read for me. I could sympathize with Adam and recognize the validity of his struggles, but I never felt particularly connected to him. I’m also not the biggest fan of novels in verse, which may have contributed to my difficulty getting invested in the story. While I appreciated the themes of accepting imperfection, exploring new interests, and learning that you don’t always have to be the best at something to enjoy it, the emotional impact fell a little flat for me. On the other hand, I enjoyed seeing the art and appreciated that the art that was described in the text was also illustrated for readers to see. I think the progression in the illustrations complimented the story nicely. The art style was quite unique in that it consisted of black and white sketches which reminded me of doodling in the margins of paper in school when I was younger. The art style was definitely fitting for Adam. Ultimately, I think I appreciated what this book was trying to accomplish more than I actually enjoyed reading it. There’s nothing particularly wrong with the story, and I can see it resonating with young readers navigating similar experiences. It just didn’t quite click for me personally.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Amulet Books for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Vanshikha Vij, Pine Reads Review Writer