This book includes a half dozen poems for each of the four seasons, Summer through Spring. First the illustrated text, with the plain text on the following page—which made it simple to consider how Peters interpreted the text. Most of the poems are not merely illustrated but interpreted or expanded, particularly by visually juxtaposing the time period the poem was written with the modern world.

The variety of art styles was fascinating, to fit each poem. I also enjoyed the way Peters could draw a full-page image that included multiple elements of the poem, using the text boxes to guide the eye through each element. Overall, I enjoyed this book more than the first one (Poems to See By, 2020). All poem selections were wins.

Thank you Plough Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this book. This volume includes a great variety of poems visually represented in an interesting way. It is a wonderful way to introduce poetry to reluctant readers. The book follows seasons of the year and is appropriate for middle school through college students. I enjoyed seeing the visual choices the author made and which aspects of which poems he chose to visually highlight. Overall, a great volume.

5★
"The best laid schemes o' mice and men gang aft agley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!" Robert Burns

How often have I heard this quoted, misquoted, or at least referred to? It's such handy shorthand to say "Ah… the best laid plans…" when commiserating over an unexpected loss. This is from "To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest With the Plough, November, 1785".

[My Goodreads review includes an illustration from the poem.]

The artist has illustrated each of the eight stanzas with charming, old-fashioned drawings of the apologetic farmer and the rightly miffed Mrs Mouse, in an apron and bonnet. But he consoles himself by saying the mouse is lucky compared to him, because she knows only about the present and not the past or future.

"Still thou art blest, compar'd wi' me
The present only toucheth thee:
But, Och! I backward cast my e'e.
On prospects drear!
An' forward, tho' I canna see,
I guess an' fear!"

The illustrations tell the story, so that even children will get the gist of it, and older kids might figure out some of the words. It's perfect for a group or class discussion. The mouse is a fully-clothed lady, spinning by her little fire when a plough blade begins to poke through her wall.

The book is divided into the four season, with six poems for each, all very different with different styles of illustration. Poets are American, English, Scottish, Welsh, Chinese, and Japanese. Espaillat is Dominican-American.

"To a Mouse" is part of "AUTUMN".

The seasons begin with "SUMMER", and I've chosen the poem "Truth" by Gwendolyn Brooks, the first African-American to win the Pulitzer Prize. Although the poem was written around 1949, and may refer to general fear of the unknown, and 'be careful what you wish for', the artist has chosen to use powerful cartoon art to show how we regard climate change.

[My Goodreads review includes an illustration from the poem.]
"Sweet is it, sweet is it
To sleep in the coolness
Of snug unawareness.

The dark hangs heavily
Over the eyes" by Gwendolyn Brooks

Then "AUTUMN" (above) and "WINTER", from which I chose a couple of classics.

[My Goodreads review includes an illustration from the poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening".]
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."Robert Frost

Moving from snow to fog. This is a handy one for those who would like to be able to quote but have trouble memorising.

[My Goodreads review includes an illustration from the poem.]
" The fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on." by Carl Sandburg

Next a couple from "SPRING"

[My Goodreads review includes an illustration from the poem "i thank You God for most this amazing"]
"i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes" by e.e. cummings

I was delighted by the bright, cheery cartoon illustrations of the mood evoked by William Wordsworth's "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud." These were not the whimsical images I was expecting for Wordsworth, but they may be closer to how excited he was by what he was imagining.

[My Goodreads review includes an illustration from the poem.]
"When all at once I saw a crowd
A host of golden daffodils."

I love books like these, where both your eyes and mind can wander, enjoying the words, the illustrator's interpretation, and then your own interpretation. These may not all be to everyone's taste (what is?), but they are each unique.

Most authors are American or English, with one Scottish, one Welsh, one Chinese, and three Japanese who each wrote a haiku about the moon.

There is a good bibliography at the end, but I wanted more, of course. I found myself googling and looking for biographical material, dates of the poems, and the context in which they may have been written.

Knowing nothing about Gwendolyn Brooks, for example, I thought "Truth" seemed to be about Climate Change. But later, I went down a few rabbit holes and found it was written before 1949, so I was wrong – it was obviously a broader message. However, like all good poetry, its universal nature makes it just as relevant today.

This would be an excellent book club choice, and it's an obvious teaching prompt or tool for classrooms of various ages. It's a companion to the author's previous book, Poems to See by: A Comic Artist Interprets Great Poetry.

Thanks to NetGalley and Plough Publishing for making this available to me for review. Even on a laptop screen, the print is small, and being italicised, it's even harder to read. But the pages are certainly big enough to appreciate the artwork, and the poems are easy to find online. It's available for NetGalley readers until publication.

I think the real book, to be published in March 2026, will be terrific.

⭐ Poetry | Nature | Illustrated Collection

Thank you to Plough Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Nature Poems to See By is a great curated collection that brings classical nature poetry to life through visual storytelling. The book is organized by the four seasons. What makes this collection especially unique is that the author is an illustrator and comic book artist who adapts each poem into a short comic before presenting the original poem in its traditional text form.

Seeing the visual interpretation first adds an imaginative layer before encountering the poem on its own. The artwork varies widely in style, which keeps the experience fresh and engaging. Some poems are illustrated with soft watercolor paintings, others with colored pencil, and some through mixed-media cutouts combined with photographs. This variety complements the diverse voices and eras of the poets themselves.

Two standout moments for me were the haiku by Matsuo Bashō about the moon and a couple being reflective, it's paired well visually as the poem states...

From time to time
The clouds give rest
to the moon-beholders.

I also enjoyed The Eagle by Alfred Lord Tennyson, which felt striking in imagery and verse.

Overall, Nature Poems to See By is a lovely blend of poetry and visual art. It’s an inviting way to experience classic poems, whether you’re new to poetry or already familiar with these works.

Julian Peters has a grand way of putting deep, visional, poetry, over history, what we might see and feel of all the nature that surrounds us in this universe.
Words, thoughts, and feelings of these classical poets, become colorful, engaging, enlightening, clever, comical vision.
The colors, the styles are well beyond any of one comic book that always looks the same. Peters has made something by poets, who might be quite a guest of how he has used their poems, but they bring together ways of so many different colors…and a new generation, this is a wonderful way for people to look into the feelings and deep thoughts of writers in the past. And, lead the way of that new generation.

I love Julian Peters' "Poems to See By" books (this is the second one I've read) - the way he translates poems into artwork is lovely, and to see the words represented in a different form brings new and deeper understanding to the works. This particular book focused on poems about nature, which is a great subject for both words and art.

Julian Peters is such a talented comic artist. I have his first book, "Poems to See By," and love it. I was so happy to be notified that he has this second book out. Each illustrated poem is priceless. I would read one and decide that was my absolute favorite, and then I would read the next one and know that had to be my favorite.

The illustrations are so delightful and really do interpret the poem. 'Fog" grabbed me and "I wandered lonely as a cloud" was just perfect. This is the kind of book you can read over and over because it fills you with wonder and you can see the beauty hidden within each poem. Each reading/viewing will bring you something new. This is definitely a book to buy and to give as a gift. Everyone will love it.

I would like to thank Plough Publishing House and NetGalley for this early read. This made my day!

This is a wonderful collection of comic interpretations of classic nature poems.

Broken into the four seasons, this book features a handful of poems in each section, using a variety of illustration techniques that complement the style of each poem. After each comic, the original poem is also included in its standard verse.

I really enjoyed this collection. The art was phenomenal and brought abstract and difficult concepts to life visually. The different styles worked beautifully together, even when they were unique, it was clear they were all by the same artist. Collecting poems from such a wide group of poets in this way is a thoughtful and engaging adaptation. I think it would be great for middle-grade readers and up, as some of the concepts might be a bit heavy for younger children.

I was really impressed with this collection and now I need to check out the first installment Poems to See By to read more of these adaptations.

Art 5/5
My Enjoyment: 5/5

*** I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

🍃 A Gentle Gateway Into Poetry
If you’ve ever wanted something to encourage you to read poetry, this is the book for you.
If you’re a visual person who wants to see every word come to life, this is also the book for you.

🍂 Seasons and Structure
I loved that the poems and illustrations are divided into seasons. It gives the book a natural rhythm.
Each poem has its own colour scheme and visual identity, as well as an array of illustrative techniques Julian Peters uses, making the experience feel more intentional and immersive.

🖌️ Art That Interprets
I really appreciated the illustrative interpretations Julian Peters presents. Rather than sticking to word-for-word visuals, he steps further back and deeper.
He invites us into the meaning behind the poems, into the feeling the poets were reaching for, not just the literal imagery.

Thank you, Netgalley and Plough Publishing, for the ARC.

Nature Poems to See By art by Julian Peters, 141 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL, POETRY. Plough Publishing, 2026. $30.
Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME
From Dickinson, Frost, and Shakespeare to lesser known poets, Peters brings words and stanzas to life with his illustrations. The collection of poems is grouped by season, inviting readers to see and feel the ups, downs, and arounds of life.
Peters’s creative pictures are individualized for each poem—not only in size and in positive versus negative illustrations, but even in medium and style. No two poems are the same or evoke the same images, and Peters assists readers in celebrating their similarities and differences.
People of all races are depicted throughout the book. The mature content rating is for kissing and partial nudity. The violence rating is for corpses, blood and gore, death, and mentions of guns and murder.
Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

This is a wonderful volume of poetry. The illustrations are beautifully done. This volume would be a great introduction to poetry for students or young people. Provides poetry lovers a new perspective on beloved poems with addition of the visuals. A real delight to read and look at!

Nature Poems to See By
A Comic Artist Interprets More Great Poems

by Julian Peters

The collection of poems are varied. They are ordered by the seasons, yet each is accompanied by beautiful and diverse pictorials, that add depth and interpretation to the words. Some are classical designs for classical poems, and some are very surreal, for more esoteric poems.

This is a really interesting project. The book is divided by seasons and each season has an assortment of nature poems by famous poets, each illustrated over several pages like a comic. The art style in each one is different, and really matches the style of each poem. At the end, the full poem is typed in its entirety.

The poems are diverse and powerful. They are not typical nature poems at all, and two nearly made me cry. There are haikus about the moon, Sylvia Plath’s Mushrooms and a devastating poem about a stoic grandmother who does the butchering and preparations of the dead, along with more expected poems like Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening and Daffodils.

This is a really creative way to interpret these poems and could also be a great way to introduce teens (or adults) to poetry who think they don’t connect to it. Well recommended.

I read a temporary digital copy of this book for review.

This book is a collection of some 20 poems, each illustrated. Most of the poems are familiar to readers who've taken courses in English literature.

Can I praise this book highly enough? Firstly, great choice in poems. While I wasn't familiar with all of them, I recognized a fair few and have studied some of them. In many ways, poetry is a conversation between the poet and the reader, with poets sharing an experience and readers trying to feel what it was like to be there. This book, with its wide variety of art styles and interpretations, adds a vastness to the experience of reading these poems. From photographic charcoal to whimsical 70s style, the art helps set the mood of each poem and interpret some of the trickier words. It gives readers permission to feel and interpret things fantastically instead of literally. Overall, I even though I haven't fallen in love with every poem in this book, I can now say I have a great appreciation for each one and the brilliant way the poet and the artist helped me experience it. I'll definitely be recommending this book to anyone who wants to show poetry as fresh and interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is a great collection of poems. The illustrations really bring the poems to life. Recommended for students in high school . Perfect for older reluctant readers.

I found this collection of poems and art delightful. The art made the poems come alive. I loved the variety of artistic styles, and some worked really well for me. Other poems and artistic interpretations didn’t resonate with me, but that’s art, right)? I have never read a book of poems with art included, and this collection opened my eyes up to a whole new world. Thank you for the ARC!

Very interesting.
I like the concept behind this. It really pulls poetry as a medium to a different place, and I like experimenting in general. I think the choice to depict rather old poems with very modern imagery is great. It really emphasizes the timelessness of so many classic works.
That said, this didn't really got for me. While I found the concept interesting I just didn't really enjoy reading it. I do think on a technical level it's very good, but it just wasn't my vibe. Poetry tends to be hit or miss for me though so I'm not surprised something so experimental wasn't quite a hit in my book.

Holy cow. I'm, of course, an avid reader, but I'm also an English teacher, and I present frequently at local, state, and national conferences on the topic of arts integration into core content areas. I often find ways to work visual and performing arts into my ELA curricula, and this book is going to be cornerstone of my March unit plan. I literally just overhauled my entire poetry unit to include the artistic vision of Julian Peters, and I cannot wait for my students to dive in. Plough, please check your email!

After having read the previous installment, Poems to See By, I was excited to see another similar book out by Julian Peters. I think this is such a great way for someone to consume poetry or get introduced to poetry. The added visuals of the art with the poems gives a great visual representation and dept to the poetry. I also really enjoyed how Peter's art style shifted depending on the poem that was being portrayed. The only think that was slightly off to me was that I didn't necessarily feel like these were all nature poems, so my expectations were a little different than what was in the book, I feel seasonal may have been a better descriptor. Still, I would love to see more installments in this style in the future.

I found it interesting seeing how the artist interpreted the poems through the art. The style, colors, setting, etc. all contributed to how you saw the words. Some worked better than others. I felt like the shorter poems worked best as the illustrations just added a touch of context or perspective whereas the longer poems sometimes it felt like the illustrations were a distraction somehow. Fern Hill by Dylan Thomas for example. I found myself sometimes use looking at the art and then reading the poem at the end rather than trying to read the poem with/in the illustrations. Mushrooms by Sylvia Plath was interesting as it used what looked like 1950s marketing to illustrate the poem. I also like the simplicity of the famous Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost. I am not very knowledgeable about poetry so don’t have any deep insight into the works or their illustrations for that matter. Interesting and enjoyable; a new way to engage art and poetry.

I was so excited when I came across this collection of illustrated poems. As a poetry lover I think the beautiful illustrations by Julian Peters really added to my reading experience and the interpretations of the poems. Every page was a delight!

My personal favorites where 'Fog' by Carl Sandburg with the little cat-cloud and 'There came a wind like a bugle' by Emily Dickinson.

I also think this kind of collection will be especially helpful for people with less experience in reading poetry who might be a little intimidated to give it a try. The illustrations lightens up the text and help spark the readers imagination. Will absolutely be recommending this to both experienced and non experienced readers.

Thank you so much for letting me read this in advance.

This is a beautiful book. Julian Peters gives each poem a different look, showing their vast talent. I like how teh poems are often brought to the present, showing how classic words still matter today.
The poems are ares present both in comic form as well as in plain text in case any of the words are hard to read.