Creative Writing with Miss Mary Mac
Miss Mary Mac introduces storytelling and creative writing in graphic novel form with chapters that cover writing as an art form, where ideas come from, creating strong images, motivation, inspiration, and the creative process. The reader is invited to consider their own experiences and how to find their interests and bring those both together to tell a story. The author provides examples from different perspectives and brings their words to life by pairing them with lavishly drawn figures by the artist. The details and shading throughout give each panel depth and draw the reader in to learn more. It also allows the reader to visualize themselves in places they may not have experience with themselves.
It is fantastic to have a craft novel about creative writing presented in graphic novel form as the visualizations alongside the advice from the author worked in tandem to create a full picture for any reader to follow. I also enjoyed that the author used some of their early writing as examples throughout the book. At times, the artist used cartoon proportions and non-realistic coloring to move the reader’s eye across the pages. Other times, the images were portrayed more realistically, which allowed the reader to take in the details.
This is obviously marketed toward younger readers interested in writing, but this would be a good introduction for anyone interested in learning more about the creative process or writing in general. It would be great for public and school libraries and would be a good addition to academic collections that collect juvenile or leisure books.
Creative Writing with Miss Mary Mac: A Handbook for Young and Future Authors
By Mary McInerney
Art by Rivkah LaFille
Macmillan First Second, 2025
ISBN: 9781250216885
Company Age Rating:Â 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Teen (13-16), Tween (10-13)
