The Raven: The Classic Poem

Gr 4-7–Edgar Allan Poe’s 1845 poem “The Raven,” in which an unnamed narrator is disturbed in the middle of the night by the sudden appearance of a raven who perches in his room and repeats the enigmatic word “Nevermore,” has become culturally ingrained to the point of frequent, offhanded parody. In this handsome new book, Bristol gives the work a reverential treatment, presenting the complete text in an appropriately moody Victorian Gothic interior, all loose, sketchy lines filled in with rich, earthy greens, browns, and purples. She depicts the main character as Poe himself, distinct with his baggy eyes, bristly mustache, and wan countenance. The stately wood paneling and burgundy wallpaper of his study soon give way to expressionistic whorls of lurid red, the eponymous raven growing into a demonic silhouette that engulfs the doleful poet entirely. The difficulties of setting this particular piece as a picture book immediately reveal themselves. For one thing, the poem is deeply internal, with the subdued action restricted to a single room and, indeed, to the dark recesses of the protagonist’s own mind. For another, full comprehension of the text requires grappling with byzantine syntax and arcane references to nepenthe and the Balm of Gilead. Bristol deftly tackles these challenges with her strong visual presentation, but there’s little overlap to be found between the age groups of typical picture book enthusiasts and classical poetry aficionados. Nevertheless, while they may not be plentiful, both advanced young readers in search of eerie, challenging verse and older fans of Poe who still appreciate the pleasures of the picture book form will be delighted by this volume—and perhaps find occasion to enjoy it together.