Nature Poems to See by - Julian Peters Poetry Comics by Julian Peters Hardcover

Book Synopsis

• Kirkus Most Anticipated YA Books of Spring 2026

This stunning anthology of favorite poems about our relationship with the natural world, visually interpreted by acclaimed comic artist Julian Peters, breathes new life into some of the greatest poems of all time.

These are poems that can change the way we see the environment, and encountering them in graphic form promises to change the way we read the poems. In an age of increasingly visual communication, this format helps unlock the world of poetry and literature for a new generation of reluctant readers and visual learners.

Following the seasons of the year and of life, Nature Poems to See By will also help young readers see themselves differently. A valuable teaching aid appropriate for middle school, high school, and college use, the collection includes favorites from the canon already taught in countless English classes.

This sequel to the artist's award-winning anthology Poems to See By includes adaptations of poems by Langston Hughes, William Shakespeare, Sylvia Plath, Emily Dickinson, Gerard Manley Hopkins, William Wordsworth, Mary Karr, Robert Frost, Edward Thomas, William Blake, Dylan Thomas, Robert Burns, Rhina P. Espaillat, Joy Harjo, Alfred L. Tennyson, Matsuo Bashō, Gwendolyn Brooks, Stevie Smith, Li Po, Carl Sandburg, Ueda Chōshū, e. e. cummings, Elizabeth Bishop, Christina Rosetti, and Philip Larkin.

Review Quotes

A stunning ode to nature poetry. Peters employs a wide variety of artistic styles and media, reflecting varied themes of connectedness to nature, including celebration, grief, and love. The thoughtful execution infuses the verses with new meaning and lends itself to rich discussion. --Kirkus Reviews

Acclaim for Poems to See By:

Comics artist Julian Peters performs a sleight-of-paintbrush, as it were, with an array of powerful verses. ... Mr. Peters writes that his motivation for translating great poetry into the visual language of comics was 'for love of beauty.' In this he has undoubtedly succeeded; reading Poems to See By is a stirring experience. --The Wall Street Journal

By creating interesting juxtapositions of text, imagery, and illustration style, cartoonist Peters elevates each of the 24 visualizations of classic poems here into something much more interesting than mere translation. . . . Peters's virtuosity as an illustrator and keen understanding of the texts included here results in a beautiful, memorable volume. --Library Journal