18 poems complimented by 18 illustrations derived from the rawness within those poems emboss themselves onto a paper canvas meant for the reader to crawl into and color their emotional reaction to the work on the pages provided. This work is not just a chapbook, it is art inspired by art. It is paper bound, paper perforated, coloring pencils bleeding for the ultimate reading experience. Meet This Is How We Learn to Pray, a poetry coloring book.

 

From Leigh:

I decided not to write a blurb for my poetry coloring book, This Is How We Learn to Pray, because I’d probably say something like, “Leigh Chadwick is the voice of a generation, it’s quite likely her poems might be the only reason why we exist” or I’d mention something about how much I like bread pudding (a lot, like seriously), and then I’d go into the world at large and what is the universe and who knows, who cares, really, because at least there’s this book full of these poems I wrote and these pictures Stephanie Kirsten drew and there’s these colored pencils that come with the book that hopefully didn’t break in the mail as they were being delivered to you, dear and lovely reader, and so I decided not to write a blurb for my poetry coloring book, This Is How We Learn to Pray, because instead of talking about the book of poems and pictures you can color, I’d wonder if any of this matters and what is even real anymore, but who cares, because these poems are real and these poems are great, you’ll love them, I promise, and these pictures are real and these pictures are great, you’ll love those too, I also promise, and so I didn’t write a blurb for my poetry coloring book, This Is How We Learn to Pray, but if I did, I’d probably finish it by saying that this is a book full of love, a good and pure and hopeful love.

—Leigh Chadwick, (probably bestselling) author of This Is How We Learn to Pray

 

PRAISE for This Is How We Learn to Pray

 

Never have I been interested in those “adult coloring books” with the intricate, curlicue swear words, but this collection makes me feel like I’ve always needed a crayon in one hand, while I flip through hard-hitting poetry with the other. The illustrations and poetry in This Is How We Learn to Pray are expertly nostalgic and provocative. Chadwick and Kirsten are such a great team, it makes me want to cuss.

—Lannie Stabile, author of Good Morning to Everyone Except Men Who Name Their Dogs Zeus

 

“Leigh Chadwick is reminiscent of Vonnegut in her ability to tell you what’s wrong, what’s bad, without standing on a soap box. Her poetry and her message are both immediate and impactful. She is one of the most authentic and exciting poets I’ve read.“

—Travis Cravey, author of Manifold

 

Excerpts form This Is How We Learn to Pray and their accompanied illustrations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coloring book includes a pack of Crayola coloring pencils for the first 85 domestic orders only. To keep the cost of international shipping down, we are, unfortunately, unable to include coloring pencils with international orders.