Getting the Most Out of Picture Books and Illustrations
- Author Maryann Bell
- Published March 6, 2011
- Word count 1,030
Picture books represent a unique literary form that blends stories with art.
In a picture book, the illustrations are as important as the text, and both
work together to tell the story. When you share picture books with children,
be sure to pay attention to the illustrations—reading picture books means
exploring the art as well. This article can help you get more out of picture
books by showing you how to use the illustrations to engage children and
enhance their reading experience.
Hook Kids In With Illustrations
We are told, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Well, children do it all the
time. A child’s first impression of a book is usually shaped by the
pictures. So involve children in choosing books with wonderful, eye-catching
illustrations that beg to be explored. Conduct "picture walks" through books
by leafing through the pages to look at the images and discussing what you
see before you read. That way, the illustrations will draw in even the most
reluctant reader.
Illustrations can do even more than draw a child into a book; they can hook
children into a lifelong love of reading. For our youngest children, pictures
are an introduction into the world of books. Long before they can read,
children respond to images in an effort to place themselves and the others in
their lives into the world around them.
Picture books aren't just for young children. Older children are often more
motivated to read picture books than books without illustrations because they
see them as more fun and easier to read. Picture books are also appealing as
a break from longer novels because most can be read in a single sitting.
Bring Books to Life
Pictures enable children to explore the world within their own imagination
and make connections to characters and events they see depicted in books.
When you help children connect with characters and events, you make the book
more real to them.
Here are some ways that illustrations bring picture books to life:
-
Illustrators usually tell stories with pictures.
-
Authors use illustrations to depict specific scenes of high emotion or
action.
- Illustrators often use a variety of techniques to convey mood and tone
as well as character and plot.
When illustrations reflect people, objects, and situations familiar to
children, the images help validate their emotions and experiences. The
process of making an emotional connection can help a child learn empathy and
compassion for others.
See the World
Illustrations convey meaning and carry information, especially in non-fiction
books where pages are often filled with commentary that is not in the text.
Be sure to "read" your way around the pages—read and discuss the
captions, tables, charts, and the information conveyed by the illustrations
themselves. Storybooks, although fictional, can also convey a great deal of
information. A story about a trip to a farm or to the moon may have
illustrations that can teach kids a lot about these places. Realize that it
takes time to explore picture books when you are using them to learn about
the world.
Expose children to pictures of the unfamiliar, or use images in books to
confirm and expand upon what they already know. Illustrations in children’s
non-fiction books can expose children to new ideas, different people, and
places they’ve never seen. Or careful exploration of the illustrations may
uncover new facts about familiar objects. Whether fiction or non-fiction, a
picture book can help children gain knowledge and move them to ask new
questions about history, inventions, nature, other cultures, and more!
Build Reading Skills
Picture books help young children understand that words convey meaning, well
before they are aware of the text. Pictures can help increase vocabulary, an
important building block for reading. Books can help young children to
identify:
-
Colors, shapes, numbers, and letters.
-
Names of people, places, animals, and everyday objects.
Picture books can also help build background knowledge that is essential to
successful reading. A child who has never been to the zoo, a farm, or a beach
can still learn all about these places by exploring picture books. Select
books with simple or realistic images so that kids can point to objects and
learn names.
Picture books help older kids with comprehension and prompt them to read
critically. They can use the pictures to predict what's going to happen next.
The images can teach children to watch, look, and listen for clues, warning
signs, and exciting things they might otherwise miss. More experienced
readers can learn how to cross-reference the text and pictures in order to
"read between the lines." Choose books whose illustrations convey meaning not
contained in the text, and help older readers play detective by going back
and forth between the story and the pictures.
Explore Art When You Read Together
Picture books present a perfect opportunity for adult-child interaction,
another critical element in developing a lifelong love of books. Talking
about what the child likes or dislikes about illustrations is an easy way to
generate conversation around a book and its plot.
Pre-Readers: Choose books that have bold, vivid, and colorful illustrations
of everyday objects.
Art Tip! Play "What's that?" by pointing to objects on the page and
having the child name what they see. Or read the story, stopping periodically
to ask the child to find the picture of the object or character you just read
about.
Beginning Readers: Choose books with simple storylines and illustrations that
closely match what is going on in the story.
Art Tip! Help children use pictures to keep track of the story as they
go. Suggest that they retell the story as they read it to you. Encourage them
to predict what will happen next based on the pictures they are seeing. Help
them pay attention to the clues the illustrator left to foreshadow what is
coming.
Independent Readers: Choose books where the illustrations tell a story of
their own in fiction, or where they provide information of their own in
non-fiction.
Art Tip! Consider reading the text aloud first without showing the
illustrations. Then have children reread it while exploring the pages
themselves. Discuss how the illustrations contribute meaning to the story.
www.childrensbookstore.com
Childrensbookstore.com is your online kids book resource.
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