PART 2

T he Patterns of Children's Books c h a p t e r 3

Picture Books in Children's Lives Criteria for Selecting Picture Books Genres of Picture Books Text Quality in Picture Books Artistic Quality in Picture Books Pictures and Text That Work Together Styles of Art Learning About Art A Close Look at The Tale of Peter Rabbit Synopsis icture Setting Characters P Plot Books Theme Illustrations Language Picture Books for Developing Readers Picture Books for Very Young Children Picture Books for Nursery and Primary Grades Picture Books for Intermediate and Advanced Readers Forging Connections Between Life and Literature The Child's Inner World The Child's Family World The Child's Social World The Child's Natural World The Child's Aesthetic World The Child's Imaginary World Picture Books in the Classroom Summary

70 My Great Grandmother

After reading the book The Keeping Quilt, it brings to mind my great grandmother giving me something from the heart. She had made a cross for me that was white and light green in color. She makes a lot of things, but this was something special. There are many more fantastic things that she gave me, but I think this is more special than the others. I feel this way because it means so much to her. I love my grandmother very much. She gives her love to me and the gifts she gives to me are made from the heart. Whitney King, age 10 ❖❖❖

Beth, a relatively new teacher, gets nervous about two things: the first day of school, and observations by her principal. She says, though, she has found the secret ingredient for success: "When I need something I can really count on, I read aloud a picture book. I know students will pay attention to a good book and I choose one that will cause them to talk. A picture book's a great springboard for me to get the kids to talk, to read, and to write." On the first day of school, Beth reads The Teacher From the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler, in which a child worries about what his new teacher will be like. He puts his head on his desk and daydreams that the new teacher will breathe fire from her mouth and have claw-like fingernails. Worst of all, she will assign 200 math problems on fractions that they haven't even studied. He awakens when a voice says, "I'm Mrs. Green, your teacher." The child is so surprised to see that his teacher is a pleasant-looking, smiling, friendly, normal human being

71 72 Picture Books that he jumps out of his chair, runs to her, and hugs her. The teacher says, "Well, thank you. I'm glad to be here." Not as glad as I am, he thinks. His school year is off to a good start—and so is Beth's. Children talk openly about things that worry them, as the conversation circles around the summer, the school year, books they've read, and books they want to read. When Beth is scheduled to be observed by the prin- cipal, she has Teresa Celsi's The Fourth Little Pig ready to read aloud. This takeoff on a fairy tale in which the fourth little pig—a girl pig—outdoes all her brothers guarantees lively discussion. Beth says, "Picture books fit into my model of read- ing for meaning. Children use pictures to predict what will happen in a story, to confirm their predic- tions, and to continue this process. Besides, they clarify meaning: My kids can see the difference be- tween a ring in a tub, a circus ring, a telephone ring, Cartoon-style art conveys a child's fears about the and a ring you wear on your finger. Some people may first day of school and an unknown new teacher in not consider these books 'high quality' literature, but The Teacher From the Black Lagoon. they certainly save the day for me. Having the right book triggers all sorts of excitement and talk, which leads directly into writing, comparing one book with PICTURE BOOKS another—intertextuality as I've heard it called— IN CHILDREN'S LIVES and more reading. They're the main component of my secret success packet. I couldn't teach without Picture books are essential to children's lives because them." they tell stories, elaborate concepts, or impart informa- Beth uses picture books for many reasons. When tion—all things that learners need. Picture books are she is launching a new school year or is concerned unique in the field of children's literature because they about being observed, she uses picture books to focus are defined by format (a combination of words and art) student attention and to elicit surefire responses. rather than content. When she wants to encourage talkative responses, she Children of all ages read picture books. Pre- chooses to read aloud picture storybooks with timely schoolers, as well as students in primary, interme- themes, ones that are brief, tightly written, and have diate, and advanced grades, read picture books surprise endings. She uses nonfiction picture books to appropriate to their interests. Young children, cap- present new information simply and to clarify complex tivated by stunning illustrations and lyrical texts, ideas. She finds that picture books help students effec- anticipate what comes next and gradually memo- tively build background knowledge about a new topic. rize their favorite books. This is exactly what we When she works with struggling readers or students want them to do. They begin by approximating read- not reading on grade level, she uses poetry in picture ing, grow in their knowledge and confidence of books because the limited amount of text on a page what the words say, and develop a lifelong love for does not intimidate them, yet provides the informa- books. tion they need to know. When she discusses art, she Picture books are usually the first books children uses her favorite picture books to illustrate art tech- see. Infants and toddlers grasp sturdy cardboard or niques and styles. When students need a break or a cloth books with bright pictures that capture their at- good laugh, she reads a picture book with poetry or a tention. Nursery and primary-grade children listen as good story. She chooses picture books carefully to ac- picture books are read aloud and develop concepts complish her goals. She knows that many students through the experience. Children most often hear have grown up in front of TV; they are often visually their first stories and informational texts read aloud sophisticated and need visual art to hold their atten- from picture books; these are ideally suited for reading tion. At the same time, they may have lost the ability aloud because large pages spread open wide across the to create images in their mind and need a powerful parent–child lap or to be seen by many children at story that suggests mental pictures. Picture books are once. Older students turn to picture books to see vivid the right answer. examples of literary techniques, the writer's craft, and Criteria for Selecting Picture Books 73 to explore difficult concepts presented in a concise manner. F i g u r e 3.1

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING DETERMINING PICTURE BOOK GENRE PICTURE BOOKS Fiction Nonfiction In this section we show how to evaluate a picture book Folklore Informational Books according to its genre, its text quality, and its artistic Fantasy/Science Fiction Concept Books quality. Criteria for specific genres of picture books are Realistic Fiction Poetry found in the genre chapters. Historical Fiction Biography/ Autobiography

GENRES OF PICTURE BOOKS Picture books can be any genre. The questions Picture books span all genres. Many contain stories— listed here can help you to determine genre. realistic or fanciful, contemporary or historical; some If fiction: contain poetry, folklore, or information. The content Are characters fanciful (fantasy, science of a picture book determines its genre. Picture books fiction); believable (realistic fiction, designed to present information and develop concepts historical fiction); stereotyped (folklore)? differ from those designed to tell a story or present a Is the story set in the real world of the past poem. In order to read critically, we need to determine (historical fiction); of contemporary times what genre we are reading because we evaluate various (realistic fiction); in a future time (science genre differently. When you use a picture book, look fiction)? first to see what kind (genre) of picture book it is. Use the questions in Figure 3.1 to determine picture book Is the story set in a make-believe world genre. In subsequent chapters we present high-quality (fantasy)? picture books in each genre discussed. In this chapter Could the events in the story happen in a real we concentrate on books in several genres, all of world (realistic fiction, historical fiction)? which exemplify the picture book format. Could the events happen in a fanciful world (folklore, fantasy)? TEXT QUALITY IN PICTURE BOOKS Could the events happen in a future world (science fiction)? Fiction If nonfiction: Many picture books that are read aloud to children are narratives—books that tell a story. The narratives may Does it present details about a concept be folklore, fantasy, contemporary realistic fiction, or (concept book)? historical fiction. Whatever the type of narrative, we Does it present facts about a topic evaluate the text quality of the literary elements of set- (informational book)? ting, character, plot, theme, and style. Because picture Is it a realistic report about a person's life books contain an interplay of text and pictures, we (biography, autobiography)? evaluate differently from longer fiction where the text Is it verse or poetic language (poetry)? bears the full burden. The literary criteria (discussed in Chapter 1) may vary a bit; only elements unique to picture books are discussed here.

Setting. Setting—the time and place of a story—is establishes the setting in the cover illustration—a car presented quickly in picture book text extended by the is going pell-mell through a village. He foreshadows illustrations. Visual details about time and place can the story on the half title page with a discarded feather be portrayed clearly and economically. Children are lying beside an open birdcage, and on the full title often bored with lengthy word descriptions of setting. page with portraits of eight characters. The copyright They want to know the time in which the tale is told page shows a train leaving a station. Before we read (present, past, or future) and the place (real or make- one word, we know where the story will take place and believe). If the setting is fanciful, the details will be who will be in it, but we don't know what will happen also, as in David Macaulay's Shortcut (I–A). Macaulay or why. His foreshadowing piques our curiosity so we 74 Picture Books

The foreshadowing of a wild ride through a village, shown on the cover, is repeated in an interior scene, shown here, to establish the setting of nine interwoven short stories. Macaulay analyzes cause and effect and shows how seemingly disparate events are related in Shortcut.

Ashley Wolff’s page borders reflect the Navajo, Creek, and Tsimshian cultures represented in traditional Native American tales. (How Chipmunk Got Tiny Feet, by Gerald Hausman.) Criteria for Selecting Picture Books 75

erry Pinkney became interested in drawing as a child, as he watched two older brothers PP J draw pictures of airplanes and cars. His brothers drew from comic books and photo maga- RR zines; Jerry started by trying to draw what they drew. At some point he realized he would rather sit and OO draw than do almost anything else. Jerry Pinkney was born in Philadelphia and grew FF up in its Germantown section. His mother under- stood him and made it clear that if art was what Jerry II wanted to pursue, then that's what she wanted to have happen. L When Jerry was about 12 years old, he had a news- L paper stand on a large intersection in Philadelphia. Jerry Pinkney He carried his drawing pad and sketched passersby. EE One day an artist named John Liney, a cartoonist, no- ticed him and took him to visit his studio. From time to time, Liney gave Jerry art materials and supplies to work with. Liney's encouragement and example helped Pinkney see that it was possible to make a living as an artist. After Pinkney graduated from Dobbins Vocational School, where he met his wife Gloria, he received a full scholarship to the Philadelphia Museum College of Art. Eventually he and Gloria moved to Boston. There he worked as a designer at a greeting card company and at Barker-Black Art Studio, where he de- veloped his reputation as an illustrator. Later Pinkney opened the Kaleidoscope Studio with two other artists and eventually opened his own freelance studio—the Jerry Pinkney Studio. It was then that he and Gloria moved to New York to get a wider range of editorial and book projects. Jerry Pinkney teaches at the University of Delaware and works in his studio at home. He is at his draw- ing board between 8:30 and 9:00 in the morning and usually ends his day between 8:30 and 10:00 at night. His style and medium are tautly composed watercolor vignettes. He and Gloria have four grown children: Troy Bernadette is the director of Child Life at Jacobi Hospital and mother of their grand- daughter, Gloria, who appears in the book Pretend You're a Cat. Brian Pinkney is a well known illustra- tor of children's books. Scott Cannon Pinkney is art director at a large advertising agency. Myles Carter Pinkney, who is studying photography, is a child care worker at Anderson School. Jerry Pinkney has won the Coretta Scott King award four times, and a Caldecott honor twice. His il- lustrations for Patricia McKissack's Mirandy and Brother Wind and for Robert San Souci's The Talking Eggs: A Folktale From the American South each earned a Caldecott Honor Book Award. His other books include Home Place by Crescent Dragonwagon, Further Tales of Uncle Remus by Julius Lester, The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy, Turtle in July by Marilyn Singer, and Back Home by his wife Gloria Pinkney.

continue to examine each page carefully for exciting picture books with settings that are clearly identified clues. in text and art, and that are appropriate to the story. Good folklore settings reflect ethnic and cultural traditions associated with the origins of tales. Ashley C h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n . C h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n — e s t a b l i s h i n g Wolff's illustrations of traditional Native American characters—in picture storybooks varies according to animal origin stories in Gerald Hausman's How Chip- genre. In folklore, characters are usually stereotypes— munk Got Tiny Feet (I) exemplify this in detail and the good princess, the brave prince, the wicked step- style. Wolff uses linoleum block prints, enhanced with mother. In well written realistic or fantasy narratives, watercolor, to create bold, colorful borders that incor- the characters are well developed personalities that of- porate folk motifs inspired by the three cultures— ten show some evidence of growth and change across Navajo, Creek, and Tsimshian—represented. Look for the story. Many fantasy picture books contain talking 76 Picture Books animal characters with habits, behaviors, thoughts, and feelings that are human rather than animal, such as Arthur in the popular series by Marc Brown. Brown's characters dress and act like people, but they have the heads of various small animals. Their feelings reflect human feelings, as exemplified in Arthur's TV Trouble (P) when Arthur is convinced his dog needs the amazing Doggy Treat Timer he sees advertised on television. Realistic books, whether contemporary or histori- cal, contain recognizably human characters, such as Oli in Tololwa M. Mollel's Big Boy (P), illustrated by E. B. Lewis. Oli, the main character, wants to be big enough to go bird hunting with his older brother but he must take a nap instead. He sneaks out of the house, however, and has an adventure that leads him to recognize that being small has its own privileges. Expressive watercolor illustrations establish character- ization through details of the Tanzanian culture, archi- tecture, clothing, and scenery of the setting. Whether animal or human, characters in picture storybooks are usually childlike. They reflect the ac- tions, thoughts, and emotions of children in the narra- tion, the dialogue, and the art. Well developed characters in picture storybooks are active rather than passive; they interact with their story worlds to solve their own problems. Marc Brown reveals characters' personalities in faces; Young children find it natural to identify with sto- these portend trouble on the horizon in Arthur’s TV rybook characters. They recognize themselves and Trouble.

The expression on Oli's face and the empty chair reveal how much he longs to be big enough to go hunting with his older brother in Tololwa M. Mollel’s Big Boy. Criteria for Selecting Picture Books 77 their friends in the books they encounter, and this Nonfiction recognition helps them become aware of who they are Evaluation of the text quality of nonfiction picture and how they feel. Look for picture storybooks that books is based on the same criteria used for all nonfic- contain characters who are well developed in text and tion: The text should be readable, appropriate to the illustration and who actively make things happen. reader's age and developmental level, accurate, up-to- Plot. Plot—the sequence of events—is presented in date, and consistent with current knowledge. (See picture storybooks in a straightforward chronological Chapter 10 for a full discussion.) order. Children want action: They want something to Readability and Appropriateness. Producing pic- happen and to happen fast. Plot often centers around a ture books appropriate to the reader's age level creates problem or conflict, generally one children recognize, a special challenge for nonfiction writers who ask, such as being too young, too small, or too scared to act; "How can I explain a subject simply enough to be un- encountering changes in family structure; or facing derstood and still be scientifically accurate?" Finding a new experiences. subject of interest to a child and presenting authentic Children like well defined, recognizable endings. If information in an understandable way—appropriate to a problem is raised, it needs to be resolved in a logical the age of the child—is not an easy task. The same manner. In Yumi Heo's Father's Rubber Shoes (P), subject is treated differently for different age groups. Yungsu is homesick in America for his native Korea. For example, a book about trucks for young children He has not made friends at his new school and his fa- might combine pictures and labels to identify various ther is too busy to play with him. The story does not types of trucks; children a bit older would need more end, however, until Yungsu makes a friend and his fa- information about what the trucks can do; even older ther explains how a pair of rubber shoes in childhood relates to their immigration to America. Look for pic- ture books with plots that are clear, that move forward logically, that are visible in both text and illustration, and that contain a recognizable climax and a satisfying resolution. Theme. Theme—a story's major overriding idea— reflects a child's world. Picture books for children are often organized around the theme of growing up: in- creasing independence and self-reliance, increasing ability, increasing understanding. Memorable themes are neither blatantly stated, as in an explicit moral to a story, nor so subtle that they elude young readers. Look for picture books that have a readily identifiable theme that evolves naturally from plot and character, and a theme that permeates the illustrations and the plot. Style. Style of language is essential to quality in a picture book; because words are limited, they must be carefully chosen. Picture books contain rich language because they are usually meant to be read aloud to children long before they are read independently by children. Picture books are most often introduced to children by an adult reading to the child. The language in picture books is language that adults can read and children can understand. Thus it is not necessary to look for simple, easy-to-read language in picture books, as most are not meant to be used as beginning reading material. (We discuss this later in this chapter and in Chapter 12.) Look for picture books with inter- esting words used in interesting ways that build excite- ment, drama, or images, and with language that has an Yungsu's loneliness is portrayed through his isolation internal rhythm and melody. If it sounds natural when at the empty playground in Heo’s Father’s Rubber read aloud, it's probably well written. Shoes. 78 Picture Books

Stanley and Peter Vennema's Bard of Avon: The Story of William Shakespeare (I–A) situates Shake- speare in the political and social climate of Eliza- bethan England. Stanley's accurate paintings provide details of dress and custom. Nonfiction picture books include content areas such as mathematics and farm life. For example, Bruce McMillan's Eating Fractions (P) is illustrated with close-up, focused photographs that explain why frac- tions are important in real life. Sandra Markle's Mea- suring Up!: Experiments, Puzzles, and Games Exploring Measurement (I) challenges readers to measure distances, weights, heights, and temperatures. Bonnie Geisert's Haystack (P–I), illustrated by Arthur David Diaz shows Wilma Rudoph's determination and Geisert, shows that a haystack is used for more than a stride in Wilma Unlimited by Kathleen Krull. place to pile hay. Examples of other fine nonfiction picture books are listed in Booklist 3.1 and discussed in Chapter 10. children might want a book that details the uses and Poetry and Song the internal mechanics of trucks. Informational picture books must convey a mean- Some picture books present an artist's visual interpre- ingful message with clarity and style through a lucid tation of a song, poem, or verse. In these books the text and artful illustrations. Nonfiction picture books artist arranges the text across the pages, often one or vary in structure, with the information itself determin- two lines per page, and then illuminates each thought ing the order of presentation. being expressed. In Ann Turner's Rainflowers (N–P), illustrator Robert Blake's vivid paintings display the Accuracy and Recency. Nonfiction picture books must be accurate, up-to-date, and consistent with cur- rent knowledge. Illustrations should match the text and provide extra details to enhance the verbal infor- mation. For example, Steve Jenkins describes record holders in the animal kingdom in Biggest, Strongest, Fastest (P–I) in vivid cut-paper collage illustrations. Jenkins satisfies children's craving to find the tallest (giraffe), the biggest (blue whale), the smallest (Etrus- can shrew), the strongest for its size (ant), and the fastest (cheetah) creature. The collage art is enhanced by incisive notes detailing specific facts. The book closes with a comprehensive chart that summarizes each animal's record, size, diet, and range to support lively discussions of comparisons. Look for nonfiction picture books that contain ac- curate words used in precise ways, and sentence pat- terns with an internal rhythm that makes them easy to comprehend when read aloud. Look for nonfiction pic- ture books with interesting topics presented in an un- derstandable fashion for the intended audience, clear structure and illustrations that confirm and extend the verbal information, and accurate text and illustrations. Biographies are among the many types of nonfic- tion picture books. Kathleen Krull's Wilma Unlimited (I–A), a biography of Wilma Rudolph, is dramatically visualized with collage and paintings created with Sandra Markle invites readers to add up the weight of acrylics, watercolor, and gouache by David Diaz. Diane a football player's gear in Measuring Up! Criteria for Selecting Picture Books 79

B o o k l i s t 3.1

OUTSTANDING NONFICTION PICTURE BOOKS Allen, Thomas B., On Grandaddy's Farm (P–I) Lavies, Bianca, Backyard Hunter: The Praying Arnosky, Jim, Secrets of a Wildlife Watcher (P–I) Mantis (P–I) Axelrod, Alan, Songs of the Wild West, Lenssen, Ann, A Rainbow Balloon: A Book of arrangements by Dan Fox; color photos (A) Concepts (P) Blizzard, Gladys S., Come Look With Me: Llewellyn, Claire, My First Book of Time (P) Exploring Landscape Art With Children (P–I) Macaulay, David, Castle (I–A)

Burleigh, Robert, and Mike Wimmer, Flight: The ————— , Cathedral (I–A)

Journey of Charles Lindbergh (P–I) ————— , Pyramid (I–A)

Cole, Joanna, Magic School Bus at the ————— , The Way Things Work (P–I–A) Waterworks, illustrated by Bruce Degen (P–I) McDonald, Megan, Is This a House for Hermit Cooper, Floyd, Mandela: From the Life of the Crab?, illustrated by S. D. Schindler (P) South African Statesman (I–A) Micklethwait, Lucy, I Spy a Freight Train: Cummings, Pat, editor, Talking With Artists (I) Transportation in Art (P–I) ————— , Talking With Artists, Volume II (I) Murray, Peter, Amazon (I) Gibbons, Gail, Bicycle Book (P) Musgrove, Margaret, Ashanti to Zulu, illustrated Heslewood, Juliet, Introducing Picasso (A) by Leo and Diane Dillon (P–I) Hindley, Judy, A Piece of String Is a Wonderful Richmond, Robin, Introducing Michelangelo (I) Thing (P) Rotner, Shelley, Wheels Around (P) Hoyt-Goldsmith, Diane, and Lawrence Migdale, Schwartz, David, If You Made a Million, Pueblo Storyteller (P–I) illustrated by Steven Kellogg (I) Langstaff, John, Climbing Jacob's Ladder: Heroes Simon, Seymour, Volcanoes (P–I) of the Bible in African-American Spirituals, Yoshida, Toshi, Young Lions (P–I) illustrated by Ashley Bryan (P–I) Lauber, Patricia, Get Ready for Robots, illustrated by True Kelley (P)

power and splendor of the rainstorm that Turner cap- lustrations depict both action and feeling, matching tures in words. The paintings are full-color double- the mood established by the author, as interpreted by page spreads, with the text superimposed at varying the artist. places, giving the effect of being surrounded by the Angela Shelf Medearis's Skin Deep and Other storm. The paintings extend the poem, as they show a Teenage Reflections (I–A), illustrated by Michael young boy going to pick a pumpkin, being caught in Bryant, is an example of a poem illuminated by illus- the storm, running to shelter in a barn, and resuming trations. The realistic drawings, framed in a sketched his walk home with his pumpkin when the storm sub- black border, face the text. Like the poems, the illus- sides. Words and pictures combine to create a powerful trations focus on the emotional upheavel of teenage picture book. problems and frustrations. Two visions of the teenage The song, poem, or verse should be interesting to years, one expressed in words and the other in art, and understandable by the intended audience. Brief, combine to present an experience made richer by rhythmic verses, narrative verses, children's songs, and both. Other examples are listed in Booklist 3.2 and are folksongs make excellent picture book texts. Some discussed further in Chapter 4. books contain several separate texts; others present When evaluating poetic picture books, look for in- single poems or songs. In beautifully designed picture teresting ideas or stories presented in lyrical language, books the arrangement of the text across the pages re- as well as illustrations that interpret the text and illu- flects natural breaks in meaning and sound. Further, il- minate its emotional content. 80 Picture Books

Bonnie Geisert shows that haystacks serve more useful functions than just as places to store hay in Haystack.

Spacing conveys isolation by setting apart the teenage girl who must walk past a group of boys in Medearis’s Skin Deep and Other Teenage Reflections. Criteria for Selecting Picture Books 81

B o o k l i s t 3.2

PICTURE BOOKS OF POETRY, VERSE, AND SONG Primary Intermediate–Advanced Aliki, Go Tell Aunt Rhody Buffett, Jimmy, and Savannah Jane Buffett, The Brown, Marc, Play Rhymes Jolly Mon, illustrated by Lambert Davis Clifton, Lucille, Some of the Days of Everett Goldstein, Bobbye, Inner Chimes: Poems About Anderson, illustrated by Evaline Ness Poetry, illustrated by Jane Breskin Zalben Field, Rachel, General Store, illustrated by Nancy Gunning, Monica, Not a Copper Penny in Me Winslow Parker House, illustrated by Frané Lessac Greenfield, Eloise, Night on Neighborhood Street, Hamanaka, Sheila, On the Wings of Peace illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist Harrison, David, Somebody Catch My Homework,

————— , Under the Sunday Tree, illustrated by illustrated by Betsy Lewin Amos Ferguson Janeczko, Paul B., Brickyard Summer, illustrated Griego, Margot C., Betsy L. Bucks, Sharon S. by Ken Rush Gilbert, and Laurel H. Kimball, editors and Krull, Kathleen, Gonna Sing My Head Off! translators, Tortillitas Para Mama: And Other illustrated by Allen Garns Nursery Rhymes, Spanish and English, Livingston, Myra Cohn, Sea Songs, illustrated by illustrated by Barbara Cooney Leonard Everett Fisher

Hart, Jane, compiler, Singing Bee: A Collection of ————— , Sky Songs, illustrated by Leonard Children's Songs, illustrated by Anita Lobel Everett Fisher

Higginson, Vy, This Is My Song!: A Collection of ————— , Space Songs, illustrated by Leonard Gospel Music for the Family, illustrated by Everett Fisher Brenda Joysmith Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, Hiawatha, Hopkins, Lee Bennett, Good Books, Good Times, illustrated by Susan Jeffers illustrated by Harvey Stevenson ————— , Hiawatha's Childhood, illustrated by Hudson, Wade, and Cheryl Hudson, How Sweet the Errol Le Cain Sound: African American Songs for Children, ————— , Paul Revere's Ride, illustrated by Nancy illustrated by Floyd Cooper Winslow Parker Hughes, Langston, The Book of Rhythms, ————— , Paul Revere's Ride, illustrated by Ted illustrated by Matt Wawiorka Rand O'Neill, Mary, Hailstones and Halibut Bones, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Go In and Out the illustrated by John Wallner Window: An Illustrated Songbook for Young Polacco, Patricia, Babushka's Mother Goose People; music arranged and edited by Dan Fox, Prelutsky, Jack, selector, A. Nonny Mouse Writes commentary by Claude Marks Again: Poems, illustrated by Marjorie Priceman Siebert, Diane, Mojave, illustrated by Wendell Raffi, Raffi's Top Ten Songs to Read Minor Thomas, Joyce Carol, Brown Honey in Spier, Peter, The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night Broomwheat Tea, illustrated by Floyd Cooper Van Laan, Nancy, In a Circle Long Ago: A Zemach, Harve, and Margot Zemach, Mommy, Buy Treasury of Native Lore from North America, Me a China Doll illustrated by Lisa Desimini Zemach, Margot, Hush, Little Baby 82 Picture Books

ARTISTIC QUALITY IN PICTURE BOOKS Elements of Art Art in children's picture books involves the entire range of media, techniques, and styles used in all art. The medium—the material used in the production of a work—may be watercolors, oils, acrylics, ink, pencil, charcoal, pastels, tissue paper, acetate sheets, or fabric. The technique might be painting, etching, wood and linoleum cuts, air brush, collage, photography, and many other means. The individual artist combines style, medium, and technique to evoke setting, estab- lish character, convey theme, or create a mood pre- sented in a picture book. When illustrating a picture book, artists make aes- thetic choices in addition to the media and tech- niques they use. They must decide about color, style, and composition in their illustrations. They make choices about line, shape, placement on a page, the use of negative space, and texture. (See glossary for definition of related terms.) Book illustration is an art; as such, it goes beyond the appeal of the literal to vi- sual communication. Illustrations must be not only in- teresting and appealing but also imaginative and dramatic. A beautifully illustrated picture book is a work of art. Artists use their talent and trained eye to arrange the art and text on a page. Visually appealing composi- tions are balanced. White space serves a purpose: it Peter Parnall's delicate but firm line establishes can illuminate various parts of a picture, focus atten- ownership of the desert by its inhabitants in Byrd tion, and carry emotional impact. From the first look Baylor’s The Desert Is Theirs. at the dust jacket and endpapers to the close scrutiny of the art on the pages, it should be apparent that the and cactus are meticulously drawn. Lines emanate book is illustrated with skill and care. from major images to express a sense of the breadth of Artists work with the basic elements of art— the desert; he treats the desert environment and its line, shape, color, and texture—and the principles of creatures with reverence and dignity. design—rhythm, balance, variety, emphasis, spatial or- Chris Van Allsburg uses bold carbon pencil draw- der, and unity—to create a unified image that conveys ings to create a sense of mass and to show the play of meaning. light and shadow in The Garden of Abdul Gasazi (I). In Ben's Dream (I) he uses black lines on white and Line. Line is a mark on paper or the boundary where white lines on black to accentuate light and shadow. different colors meet. Lines start with a dot and grow He varies the lines' length, curve, and angle to create into a line, which can be slow and rolling, sleek and texture. His parallel lines, architectural forms, and ex- fast, and quiet or frenetic. Artists create a continuous ploration of perspective provide dimension and depth line to focus a viewer and pull the eye in a particular to his work. direction. Lines can suggest delicacy (thin lines) or John Steptoe uses line dramatically in all his books, stability (thick lines). There is contrast between con- especially in Daddy Is a Monster ... Sometimes (P). tinuous lines and broken or nervous lines. Artists use Brittle lines almost crackle across the page to reflect the angle, width, length, and motion of line to express broken glass and to capture the emotional tension of meanings they want to convey. the relationship between a father and his children. Peter Parnall's distinctive use of firm but delicate Some lines slash diagonally across a wall or a shirt to line, space, and color gives a clear, uncluttered feeling. suggest a sense of frenzy and the father's exasperation His work is scientifically accurate; it appears in Scien- with his children. In Stevie (P), Steptoe uses line to tific American and Audubon Magazine. In The Desert show Robert's alienation from and eventual affection Is Theirs (I) by Byrd Baylor, Parnall's hawks, badgers, for Stevie, the boy his mother babysits. Criteria for Selecting Picture Books 83

Van Allsburg uses light and shadow to convey the mood and mystery of The Garden of Abdul Gasazi.

John Steptoe's jagged lines crackle like shattered Close inspection reveals that Van Allsburg relies glass across the page to reflect the emotional tension almost totally on lines and dots to create spectacular of the story in Daddy Is a Monster . . . Sometimes. art in Ben’s Dream. 84 Picture Books

Shape. Shape is an area or form with a definite out- for Jane Yolen's Piggins (P–I) call our attention to line. It, along with line, directs the viewer's eye and character, action, and mood at a dinner party and a suggests feelings and ideas. Shapes can be geometric royal wedding. (circles, triangles, squares), or free form. They can be abstract (suggestive, less defined shapes such as clouds) Texture. The surface of an illustration, whether ac- or realistic and representational. Shape can contribute tual or illusory, is its texture. Some illustrations seem to the volume, or three-dimensional quality of an illus- smooth, others rough; some, like collage, do have a tration. In some illustrations, shapes seem to jut out rough texture in the original art. Texture sometimes from the front, or plane of the picture, coming toward conveys a sense of reality; interesting visual contrasts the viewer. Artists make decisions about the place- or patterns suggest movement and action, roughness or ment of shapes (positive space) in the background delicacy. Texture invites an emotional relationship (negative space). Leo Lionni uses abstract and free with the reader. Debra Frazier uses texture to create vi- form shapes in Little Blue and Little Yellow (P). Ger- sual interest in We All Got Here Together (P–I). ald McDermott uses abstract and geometric shapes in In Brett Harvey's My Prairie Year: Based on the Arrow to the Sun (P–I). Diary of Elenore Plaisted (I), Deborah Kogan Ray cre- Lois Ehlert uses geometric shapes to convey a sense ates a sense of isolation during a raging blizzard by using of vitality in Moon Rope (P) and Snowballs (N–P). smudged lines, blanketed figures, and sparse furnishings Her books are marked by bright colors, clear, vivid in the prairie homestead. Ted Lewin's art captures the lines, and shapes that seem to jump off of the page. By colorful clothing and reverence of Hindu worshippers transforming natural shapes into geometric forms she who make pilgrimmages to the Sacred River (I), the calls attention to the essential shape of the objects she Ganges. Lewin's images of water seem to surge and depicts. splash across the page. Leo and Diane Dillon give a di- Trina Schart Hyman uses geometric print borders to aphanous, luminous, irridescent quality to fabrics in frame her meticulously detailed illustrations, as she Leontyne Price's Aida (A), which won the Coretta does in Little Red Riding Hood (P) and Saint George Scott King Award. David Diaz's collages for Eve and the Dragon (I). The borders confine her richly de- Bunting's story Smoky Night (P–I) lend visual interest tailed paintings and increase the sense of lush roman- as they convey the turmoil, fear, and anxiety caused by ticism. Jane Dyer's silhouettes and colored pencil art riots. Diaz won the Caldecott Award for this book.

Lois Ehlert uses bold blocks of vivid color in her stylized graphic art in Moon Rope. Criteria for Selecting Picture Books 85

The butler didn't do it; instead he helps to solve the mystery of the disappearing diamond necklace at an elegant dinner party in Jane Yolen’s Piggins, illustrated by Jane Dyer.

Hindu worshippers wade into the Ganges to be purified by its sacred waters in Lewin’s Sacred River. 86 Picture Books

changing table. When the beloved baby sister arrives, she does wear the desired red ribbon in her hair! Tomie de Paola uses intense colors of the Southwest to establish Alice's character in Tony Johnston's Alice Nizzy Nazzy: The Witch of Santa Fe (P–I). Alice, a variation of Baba Yaga, is garbed in garish greens and purples with squash-yellow skin and with teeth as black as night. Strings of chiles for hair and long red fingernails help to exaggerate her bizarre image. Design. Artists use the basic elements of art to create meaning and feeling; they manipulate the elements through principles of design to express their own unique visions. Artists work to achieve unity, or a meaningful whole, through composition of their art. To achieve unity, artists make use of balance, repeated rhythms, variety, emphasis, and spatial order (Green- berg and Jordan, 1991, 1993, 1995). Artists may create a feeling of tension through deliberate imbalance. Bal- ance means giving equal weight to the lines, shapes, textures, and colors in a picture; without balance, a pic- ture sometimes looks awkward (Greenberg and Jordan, 1991, 1993, 1995). Repetition in art helps to achieve visual harmony and balance, whereas variety sets up a paradox or a progression that leads the eye from one The Dillons' art conveys an opulent iridescent quality that exists in opera. The marble columns and shimmering fabrics add dignity and richness to the scenes. (Aida retold by Leontyne Price, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon.)

Color. Artists use color—or the lack of it—to ex- press character, mood, and emotion. Color can convey strength or weakness, anger or joy, and warmth or coolness. Color can vary in hue—ranging across the rainbow of colors—and intensity. Subdued colors can express weariness, boredom, or serenity, whereas in- tense colors evoke feelings of energy, vibrancy, and ex- citement. Lisbeth Zwerger limits her palette to rustic tones in Grimm's Hansel and Gretel (P). She conveys foreboding through somber clothing, dark lines on faces, and swaths of brown through ecru and gray backgrounds. Colors can also vary in value, or the amount of light and dark. A range of values creates drama or movement; an absence of contrast creates a quiet or solemn mood. Tomie de Paola uses color to help tell the story in The Baby Sister (P). His pages begin with the sepia tones of an old-fashioned photograph album and move to soft ecru, and browns with a touch of red. The color red is significant because the boy in the story wants his forthcoming baby sister to have a red ribbon in her hair. Sunny yellows accompany the getting-ready Tommy's happiness shines from his face as he holds scene of painting the crib and preparing the baby's his baby sister in Tomie de Paola’s The Baby Sister. Criteria for Selecting Picture Books 87 point to another. Artists draw attention to a particular and typeface are all manipulated to achieve a playful part of their piece by emphasizing size, placement, sense of violating conventions. The text consists of hi- color, or line; these elements work together to force our larious versions of familiar folktales; the outlandish art eyes to focus on a particular place in an illustration first. heightens the mockery of folktale conventions. Be- Peter Parnall's use of white space focuses the yond that, the text and illustrations play with the for- viewer's eye on elements that he wants to stress. Lois mat of the picture book itself, achieving a remarkable Ehlert's bright contrasting colors, shapes, and hard unity of text and illustration. lines emphasize objects she chooses to feature in Snowballs (P). Chris Van Allsburg uses perspective to Media and Technique. Artists make choices about change the feelings of the viewer in Two Bad Ants the media, techniques, and styles they work in. As (P), as Don Wood does in Audrey Wood's The Nap- mentioned earlier, when we refer to media, we mean ping House (P). We identify with the small characters the materials used in the production of a work. Tech- because we feel like one of them. Steve Jenkins shows nique refers to the method of creating art. Artists can that perspective is everything by viewing what astro- work with virtually any medium—clay, wood, metal, nauts traveling in space would see if they looked at the watercolors, oils, fabric, acrylics, ink, pencil, charcoal, earth in Looking Down (P). Gradually Jenkins brings pastels—or combination of media. Reynold Ruffins the viewer close. uses acrylics in Misoso (I), James Ransome uses oils in In picture books, principles of design relate to the Dark Day Light Night (I), and Floyd Cooper uses oils overall design of a book as well as to individual pic- in Brown Honey and Broomwheat Tea (P–I) by Joyce tures and are integrated with the content. In Strega Carol Thomas. Artists also use a variety of tech- Nona: Her Story (P) Tomie de Paola uses strong black niques—painting, etching, woodcuts as in Black Swan line to create sturdy figures arranged almost as if they White Crow (P), linoleum block, airbrush, collage, were on a stage setting. His art reflects the sturdy folk- and photography. Denise Fleming uses paper pulp to tale he retells and the pasta-eating grandmother. create art for In the Small Small Pond (P) and Barn- The cover design, text placement, typography, end- yard Banter (P). Salley Mavor creates art through a papers, illustrations, borders, and white space are all process she calls fabric relief, using stitchery, embroi- elements of the total design. Arrangement and se- dery, and highly textured homespun fabrics in Mary quencing of design elements lead the eye effectively Had a Little Lamb (P). Mavor also uses found objects through a book. Lane Smith uses every inch of avail- like wood and stones to produce three-dimensional able space to increase the feeling of delighted shock in images. Holly Meade uses torn paper collages in Sleep, Jon Scieszka's The Stinky Cheese Man (I–A). The Sleep, Sleep: A Lullaby for Little Ones Around the cover, title page, dedication page, table of contents, World (N–P) by Nancy Van Laan. Some artists are known for their work with a particular technique or medium, like Ezra Jack Keats for collage in The Snowy Day (P), Eric Carle's collages in The Very Lonely Firefly (N–P), Brian Pinkney for scratchboard art in Jo Jo's Flying Sidekick (I), or Ken Robbins for his photographs. For Fire: The Elements (P–I–A), Rob- bins begins with photographs of gentle uses of fire in fireworks and candles, then moves to steel mills and cannons in exquisite photographs to show fire in all its forms. He hand-colors the photographs to produce a soft romantic mood or a violent raging mood. Other artists range across a variety of media and techniques, selecting that which best suits the text they are illustrating. Figure 3.2 presents a variety of the media and techniques found in picture books. When evaluating picture books look for the artistic quality of the illustrations, illustrations that reflect the words to tell the story or present the information, illus- trations that extend the story or elaborate the concept, and illustrations that present a fresh visual interpreta- tion that enables a reader to view aspects of a story, Steve Jenkins uses perspective to show astronauts' poem, or concept in a new way. A quick checklist for view of the earth in Looking Down. evaluating picture books appears in Figure 3.3. Don Wood's soothing colors invite re a ders indoors to take a nap on a ra i ny afterno o n in The Napping House.

Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith play topsy-turvy with the traditions for telling folktales, for art, and for bookmaking. Their nontraditional art and stories show children that adults can break the rules when retelling old folktales and putting together a book. It says "You can make books and language a play thing, too." (From Stinky Cheese Man.) Criteria for Selecting Picture Books 89

F i g u r e 3.2

MEDIA AND TECHNIQUES IN PICTURE BOOKS Woodcuts Weisgard, Leonard, The Little Island, written by Brown, Marcia, Once a Mouse Margaret Wise Brown Emberley, Barbara, Drummer Hoff, illustrated by Tempera Ed Emberley Sendak, Maurice, Where the Wild Things Are Lewis, J. Patrick, Black Swan White Crow, illustrated by Chris Manson Pastels Allen, Thomas B., In Coal Country, written by Scratchboard Judith Hendershot Cooney, Barbara, Chanticleer and the Fox Collodi, Carlo, Pinocchio, illustrated by Ed Young Hooks, William, Ballad of Belle Dorcas, illustrated Shannon, George, Climbing Kansas Mountain, by Brian Pinkney illustrated by Thomas B. Allen Pinkney, Brian, Jo Jo's Flying Side Kick Chalk San Souci, Robert D., The Faithful Friend, illustrated by Brian Pinkney Grifalconi, Ann, Osa's Pride

————— , Sukey and the Mermaid, illustrated by Grease Pencil Brian Pinkney Gammell, Stephen, Where the Buffaloes Begin, Collage written by Paul Goble Carle, Eric, The Very Lonely Firefly Conte Pencil Ehlert, Lois, Mole's Hill Van Allsburg, Chris, Jumanji Fleming, Denise, Barnyard Banter Oil Paints Fox, Mem, Hattie and the Fox, illustrated by Zelinsky, Paul O., Rumpelstiltskin Patricia Mullins Zolotow, Charlotte, The Old Dog, illustrated by Keats, Ezra Jack, The Snowy Day James Ransome Watercolors Cut Paper Ackerman, Karen, Bingleman's, illustrated by Wisniewski, David, Sundiata: Lion King of Mali Barry Moser ————— , Rain Player Lattimore, Deborah Nourse, Why There Is No , Wave of the Sea-Wolf Arguing in Heaven ————— McCloskey, Robert, Time of Wonder Gouache Oberman, Sheldon, The Always Prayer Shawl, B u nt i n g, Eve, D a n d e l i o n s, i l l u s t r ated by Greg She d illustrated by Ted Lewin Kalman, Maira, Max in Hollywood, Baby Wiesner, David, Tuesday Cousins, Lucy, Katy Cat and Beaky Boo Williams, Vera, A Chair for My Mother Stitchery Acrylics and Watercolors (plastic paints) Hale, Sarah Josepha, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Cooney, Barbara, Miss Rumphius illustrated by Salley Mavor Roberts, Bethany, A Mouse Told His Mother, Ringgold, Faith, Tar Beach illustrated by Mary Jane Begin Shea, Pegi Deitz, The Whispering Cloth, Opaque Paint illustrated by Anita Riggio, stitchery by You Yang Politi, Leo, Song of the Swallows

Note: Many publishers now state the media, technique, and typography used in a book. Check the copyright page for this information. 90 Picture Books

F i g u r e 3.3

CHECKLIST FOR EVALUATING PICTURE BOOKS TEXT ❏ Are the layout and design visually appealing, reader-friendly? Do they help readers get the Fiction: meaning of the story? ❏ Is there a good story? Do you like it? Is the story lively, moving, funny, or surprising? Nonfiction: ❏ Do the illustrations add or clarify ❏ Are characters well developed and information? delineated? How would a character react in a new situation? ❏ Do the illustrations contribute to understanding? ❏ What is the theme? Is it developed in lively language and engaging illustrations? Both Fiction and Nonfiction: ❏ Nonfiction: Do illustrations enrich the text? ❏ Are ideas presented in a logical sequence? ❏ Does the artist use line, shape, and color to add to the meaning? Do black-and-white or ❏ Are concepts presented in understandable monochromatic illustrations meet the same terms? Are terms defined? Are examples standards: Are they well crafted and given? distinguished? ❏ Is the writing direct and straightforward? ❏ Is the composition well balanced? Does the Both Fiction and Nonfiction: arrangement add to meaning? Is is clean, ❏ Is the book appropriate for the child? Does it uncluttered? meet cognitive and intellectual level ❏ Is the artistic style appropriate to the interests? content? ❏ Are racial, cultural, and gender stereotypes ❏ Does the organization of the page cause the avoided? Are groups portrayed accurately? viewer to focus on important parts, concepts, ❏ Is the language of high quality? Is it ideas? appropriate? When it is read by an adult, can FORMAT a child understand it? Both Fiction and Nonfiction: ILLUSTRATIONS AND VISUAL CLARITY ❏ Is the size of the book appropriate to its Fiction: content and use? ❏ Do the illustrations establish the mood, ❏ Do the dust jacket, cover, and endpapers theme, characters, and setting of the story? express the book's content and purpose? ❏ Are subplots contained in the illustrations for ❏ Are the paper, typeface, and other design children to discover? elements appropriate to the content and the ❏ Is the visual interpretation unique, yet valid? age group? Does it enable the reader to view the story in ❏ Does the title page foreshadow the content a new and truly artistic way? to come? Note: Although guidelines are presented separately for text, art, and format, unity is crucial. Text, illustrations, and design are expressions of art; together they create a richer experience than any single element does separately. The overarching question is: How artfully do they work together? First, read just the words without looking at the illustrations. Try to evaluate the words by themselves. Later, reread looking at the art. How much does the art expand and enrich the story? How does the design enhance the experience? How artfully is it done? Select from the suggested questions; not all questions are appropriate for every book. Criteria for Selecting Picture Books 91

PICTURES AND TEXT use close-ups and wide shots to show ever widen- THAT WORK TOGETHER ing surroundings, to illustrated books. Teachers use Zoom and Re-Zoom to teach focus and detail in Whatever the content, if the illustrations are equal or writing; the visual example of expanding a mo- dominant partners with the text, the result is a picture ment makes sense to writers who try to do the book. In some picture storybooks, illustrations pre- same thing with words. An illustrated book consists cisely verify the text, co-telling the same story. Barbara of both text and illustrations, but the text carries Cooney's illustrations in Miss Rumphius (P–I) visu- the major responsibility for depicting the story or ally support and verify the text. Illustrations in other content while the illustrations contribute signifi- picture books extend the text, adding visual informa- cantly, but not equally, to development, depth, tion or meaning not presented in language, the way and breadth of the story or content. In illustrated Susan Jeffers extends the poem in Robert Frost's Stop- books like Gloria Pinkney's The Sunday Outing ping by Woods on a Snowy Evening (P–I), and as (I), Jerry Pinkney's art highlights significant aspects Stephen Gammell does in Jim Aylesworth's Old Black of setting, theme, mood, and character develop- Fly (N–P). Yet the art in other books, as in John Burn- ment. Another superb illustrated book, Sharon Bell ingham's Time to Get Out of the Bath, Shirley Mathis's The Hundred Penny Box (I–A), has (N–P), belies the text; it presents visual information accomplished illustrations by Leo and Diane Dillon that creates a story within a story (Cianciolo, 1990; and the artful use of language to explore aging, a Nodelman, 1988). Shirley's imagination takes her theme of universal social concern. Art in illustrated down the bathtub drain into a medieval world while books may enhance, enrich, and extend the text, the text conveys her everyday world. In Ellen Raskin's but the books do not qualify as true picture books; Nothing Ever Happens on My Block (P), Chester in authentic picture books, text and art are inter- complains of boredom totally unaware of a house burn- woven and inseparable. Words and pictures together ing, cops chasing robbers, and a parachutist landing create a meaning that neither could create alone behind him. Each book gives readers the opportunity (Nodelman, 1988). Figure 3.4 lists books that exem- to create meaning through both language and art. plify the ways in which art and text work together. Books with pictures range from wordless books Teaching Idea 3.1 offers suggestions for studying an like Banyai's Zoom (P) and Re-Zoom (P), which artist's style.

Backing away or zooming in for a very close view gives the reader a different perspective in Banyai’s Jerry Pinkney uses a representational style to Re-Zoom. illustrate Gloria Pinkney's The Sunday Outing. 92 Picture Books

F i g u r e 3.4 T eaching Idea 3.1

WHEN PICTURES STUDY AN ILLUSTRATOR'S STYLE AND TEXT WORK TOGETHER Artists develop a characteristic style to present Extend: ideas visually, although some vary their style. Gág, Wanda, Millions of Cats Collect several books by one illustrator to com- Frost, Robert, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy pare them. Ask yourself: Evening, illustrated by Susan Jeffers Is the art similar across the books? Verify: Do the books represent distinct approaches? Cooney, Barbara, Miss Rumphius Study some of the following illustrators: Henkes, Kevin, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse Tomie de Paola—folk art Parallel: Strong outlines; sturdy people; hearts, Burningham, John, Time to Get Out of the birds Bath, Shirley Marcia Brown—painterly techniques, collage Browne, Anthony, Hansel and Gretel Each book has distinct style Wordless: Chris Van Allsburg—surrealist Banyai, Istvan, Re-Zoom Bull terrier in every book; surrealistic McCully, Emily Arnold, School David Macaulay—draftsman, architectural Illustrated: Intricate line and composition Burkert, Nancy Ekholm, Valentine & Orson Jan Brett—representational Mathis, Sharon Bell, The Hundred Penny Box, Use of borders illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon Eric Carle—collage Bold color; strong line Lois Ehlert—geometric shapes, graphics STYLES OF ART Varies light and shadow through a book Style reflects the individuality and artistic strength of Maurice Sendak—from cartoon to high art the artist and is influenced by both the content and Portrays oversize hands and feet mood of the text and the intended audience (Cianci- When you have finished your study: olo, 1976). The styles available in books for children are many and varied. • Summarize findings; characterize the style(s). Representational Art • Describe the illustrator's work. Representational art consists of literal, realistic depic- tions of characters, objects, and events. Greg Shed used live models and traveled across the Nebraska prairie to find a sod house to achieve realism in his tions are full of garishly funny details. Anthony paintings for Eve Bunting's Dandelions (P–I). His art- Browne's surrealist paintings portray encagement work expresses the historical setting and emotional through the device of vertical prison bars in both tension of the story. Hansel and Gretel (P) and Gorilla (P–I). Browne's books require repeated viewing because you always Surrealistic Art find something extra in subsequent readings. Surrealistic art contains "startling images and incon- Impressionistic Art gruities" that often suggest an "attitude or mockery about conventionalities" (Cianciolo, 1976, p. 40). Impressionist artists emphasize light and color, break- Chris Van Allsburg's surrealistic paintings in Jumanji ing an image into small bits of color exactly the way extend the clever challenge of the text. His illustra- the eye perceives color to create images. E. B. Lewis's Greg Shed traveled across the Nebraska prairie to find just the right sod house and native people to use as models for Eve Bunting's Dandelions.

Anthony Browne reveals much more in his surrealistic illustrations for Gorilla than first meets the eye. 94 Picture Books

watercolor paintings reflect the play of light and shadow in Alice Schertle's Down the Road (I). Emily Arnold McCully's paintings in Mirette on the High Wire (P–I) convey the almost lighter-than-air vitality of young Mirette; nineteenth century Paris is romanti- cized with light and color and suggestive of Toulouse Lautrec's work. The softly blurred lines of Carole Byard's acrylic paintings in Sherley Anne Williams's Working Cotton (I) suggest images of a day in the cot- ton fields, and the strength and exhaustion of those picking. Byard's paintings suggest rather than sharply define reality.

Folk Art Folk art simplifies, exaggerates, and distorts reality, but in a way that is characteristic of the traditional art of a culture. This is often realized through the use of tradi- tional motifs, symbols, and techniques (Cianciolo, 1990). Ashley Bryan's art in Sing to the Sun (P–I) rep- resents folk art, with its vivid color and one-dimen- sional circles. Faith Ringgold's illustrations for Tar Beach (P) simply burst with joy and vitality as young Cassie flies up from the roof of her apartment building and out over New York City. Murv Jacob draws upon Mirette helps a tightrope walker to regain his nerve. his own cultural heritage to illustrate Joseph Bruchac's McCully paints in the style of the impressionists, the retelling of Flying With the Eagle, Racing the Great p e r iod of the Pa r i s ian setting of M i rette on the High Wire.

E. B. Lewis splays light and shadow patterns across the street and through the trees in Alice Schertle's Down the Road. Criteria for Selecting Picture Books 95

Strong color and line reflect rays of the sun in Ashley Bryan's art in Sing to the Sun.

Bear (I). Deborah Nourse Lattimore's illustrations for Chris Raschka describes a developing friendship The Dragon's Robe (I) use traditional Chinese motifs between two strangers with lots of street spunk and and symbols to reflect art that marks the period of Chi- just a few words. Although easy to read, Yo! Yes! is nese history in which the story is set. Tomie de Paola's not babyish because of its dynamic art. distinctive art conveys characteristics of folk art in Strega Nona: Her Story (P–I) with the strong black line, round figures, and heart shapes. All of these styles can be found in picture books. Il- lustrations in books cited in Figure 3.5 are examples of Naive Art art in a variety of styles. Notice the variety of tech- Naive art is technically unsophisticated but is marked niques and media. by an artist's clear, intense emotions and visions. Naive art presents the essence of experiences and ob- LEARNING ABOUT ART jects in a simplified fashion; it is generally not marked Children draw, paint, and learn how to view and talk by concerns with perspective (Cianciolo, 1990). about art through reading and responding to outstand- ing picture books. Certainly children use the illustra- Cartoon Art tions in picture books to help them follow the story, to Cartoon art emphasizes line, reduces features to sim- understand the concepts, and, in some cases, to read plified shapes, and uses exaggeration in two dimen- the text. Further, Kiefer (1986) found that children sions to create caricature (Cianciolo, 1976). Susan were careful and critical viewers, noticing the "secrets" Meddaugh's Hog-Eye (P) combines bright animated that artists often put in their illustrations, such as Fritz, expressive art with conversation balloons in a caution- the small white dog that appears in all of Chris Van ary tale. Steven Kellogg is a master of cartoon humor, Allsburg's books. and his classic Pinkerton, Behave (P) exemplifies this Just as children notice the writer's craft, they notice style. A Great Dane who flunked obedience school, a the artist's craft and discuss it. Kiefer (1986) listened burglar, and a quick-thinking dog owner create a situa- to students of all ages talk about elements of design. tion as hilarious as the illustrations. First graders discussed line, shape, texture, and color 96 Picture Books

F i g u r e 3.5

STYLES OF ART IN PICTURE BOOKS Naive Art Van Allsburg, Chris, Jumanji

Cooney, Barbara, Island Boy ————— , The Mysteries of Harris Burdick O'Kelley, Mattie Lou, Moving to Town ————— , Polar Express Representational Cartoon Art Hooks, William H., Freedom's Fruit, illustrated by Kellogg, Steven, Pecos Bill James Ransome Steig, William, Dr. De Soto Lester, Julius, John Henry, illustrated by Jerry Folk Art Pinkney Bryan, Ashley, Sing to the Sun Thomas, Joyce Carol, Gingerbread Days: Poems, de Paola, Tomie, Strega Nona: Her Story as Told illustrated by Floyd Cooper to Tomie de Paola Impressionistic Art Ross, Gayle, reteller, How Rabbit Tricked Otter McCully, Emily Arnold, Mirette on the High Wire and Other Cherokee Trickster Stories, Schertle, Alice, Down the Road, illustrated by illustrated by Jacob Murv E. B. Lewis Collage Williams, Sherley Anne, Working Cotton, Ehlert, Lois, Mole's Hill illustrated by Carole Bayard Young, Ed, Seven Blind Mice Surrealistic Art Photography Browne, Anthony, Tunnel Hoban, Tana, Just Look

————— , Changes Robbins, Ken, Air: The Elements

————— , Piggybook ————— , A Flower Grows

with ease; older students considered the expressive A CLOSE LOOK AT THE qualities of illustrations. In every case teachers pro- vided time for children to explore books, to discover TALE OF PETER RABBIT and develop individual responses, and to share those A picture storybook that has stood the test of time and responses with others. Teachers also provided many is as beloved by children today as it was when it was books and varied opportunities for response, while published in 1902 is Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Peter sharing their knowledge of the elements of language Rabbit (N–P). and visual art, and their own critical aesthetic re- This delightful book exemplifies the criteria for ex- sponses. cellent picture storybooks. Created through pictures We often think of selecting books that contain sim- and words, the story is captivating and understand- ilar themes, structures, or literary devices. We can also able. The characters, seen through Potter's keen artis- select books that demonstrate similarities and differ- tic eye, are vivid and engaging and the theme is ences in visual art. Careful selection can lead students identifiable and memorable. Unifying story, charac- to compare the use of line and color, for example, or to ters, and theme, the pictures and the words are strong note how different artists use texture, light, and space. and elegant. Books like this offer children opportuni- See Teaching Idea 3.2 for suggestions on exploring art ties for wonderful experiences with literature. media. A thoughtful selection of books that demonstrate SYNOPSIS particular qualities of visual art can educate students' eyes as well as their minds and hearts. A list of out- Peter is a young rabbit with three sisters and a mother; standing picture books appears in Booklist 3.3. they all live near Mr. McGregor's vegetable garden, a A Close Look at The Tale of Peter Rabbit 97

T eaching Idea 3.2

EXPLORE ART MEDIA Experiment with the media and techniques illus- ings, crayon resist, chalk paintings, crayon texture trators use. Collect the following books as models. drawings, or any combination of media. Paper Printing Techniques Feelings, Tom, Moja Means One and Jambo Emberley, Barbara, Drummer Hoff, illustrated by Means Hello Ed Emberley (tissue paper, oil, inks, tempera) Lionni, Leo, Swimmy Ke a t s , Ezra Jack, The Snowy Day a n d Peter's Chair Use paper doilies, linoleum blocks, wood blocks, (cut shapes from textured paper) potato prints, styrofoam, cardboard, sandpaper, Lionni, Leo, Pezzetino and yarn. Create shapes to dip into paints and (torn paper, mosaic tile) stamp onto paper. Make relief prints, etchings, cardboard cuts, and potato prints. Use tissue paper, construction paper, magazines, newspaper, wallpaper, or gift wrap paper—for Cartoons book illustrations, collages, mosaics, and paper Peet, Bill, Bill Peet: An Autobiography sculptures. Comic Strips Watercolor Aliki, How a Book Is Made Griffith, Helen, Georgia Music, illustrated by Ardizzone, Edward, Little Tim and the Brave Sea James Stevenson Captain Stevens, Janet, From Pictures to Words Write characters' dialogue in speech balloons. Il- Use watercolor paints, tempera, gouache, and wa- lustrate the action. ter-base paint—for book illustration projects, Pen and Ink landscapes, crayon resist painting, seascapes, sky- scapes, and backgrounds. Macaulay, David, Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction Crayons and Pastels Van Allsburg, Chris, Ben's Dream de Paola, Tomie, The Baby Sister Study the artists' use of line to create shapes, Spier, Peter, Rain and Noah's Ark shadows, and texture. Experiment with black line Use crayons, craypas, pastels, water crayons, on white to create movement and depth. acrylics, and markers, include crayon scratch draw-

Resources: Moira Butterfield, Fun With Paint; Douglas Florian, Painter; and Sara Lynn, Play With Paint.

tempting but dangerous place where Peter's father met and detailed in the illustrations. Potter introduces the an untimely death. When Mrs. Rabbit goes to the story as follows: baker's, disobedient Peter immediately squeezes under the garden gate and gorges himself on the treasures in Once upon a time there were four little rabbits, and Mr. McGregor's garden. Mr. McGregor spots him and their names were—Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and chases Peter through the garden into a shed where Pe- Peter. They lived with their Mother in a sand-bank, ter eludes him. Peter finally finds his way out of the underneath the root of a very big fir-tree. (p. 9) garden and back home, where he is put to bed to recu- This description is accompanied by a delicate, realistic perate from his excesses. watercolor illustration of the four rabbits and their mother peering at the reader from their fir-tree home. SETTING Ears and tree trunk stand straight up, pulling the As in many fantasy narratives for young children, the viewer's eye upwards; the colors are muted browns and setting in Peter Rabbit is briefly presented with words greens. Mother Rabbit is in the foreground, with her 98 Picture Books

B o o k l i s t 3.3

OUTSTANDING PICTURE STORYBOOKS Nursery–Primary Sendak, Maurice, Where the Wild Things Are Bemelmans, Ludwig, Madeline Slobodkina, Esphyr, Caps for Sale Brooke, L. Leslie, Johnny Crow's Garden Wiesner, David, Tuesday Burton, Virginia Lee, The Little House Wisniewski, David, The Warrior and the Wise Man

————— , Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel Carle, Eric, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Intermediate–Advanced de Paola, Tomie, The Legend of the Indian Bunting, Eve, Smoky Night, illustrated by David Paintbrush Diaz Flack, Marjorie, The Story About Ping, illustrated Goble, Paul, Crow Chief: A Plains Indian Story by Kurt Wiese Lasker, Joe, Merry Ever After Gág, Wanda, Millions of Cats Macaulay, David, Black and White Gramatky, Hardie, Little Toot Polacco, Patricia, Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Hoban, Russell, Bread and Jam for Frances, Creek Dam Affair illustrated by Lillian Hoban Sendak, Maurice, Outside Over There Keats, Ezra Jack, The Snowy Day Steig, William, Amos and Boris Lionni, Leo, Little Blue and Little Yellow Steptoe, John, Stevie McCloskey, Robert, Blueberries for Sal Thurber, James, Many Moons, illustrated by Marc McKissack, Patricia C., Mirandy and Brother Simont Wind, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney Van Allsburg, Chris, The Garden of Abdul Gazasi

Potter, Beatrix, The Tale of Peter Rabbit ————— , The Polar Express Rey, H. A., Curious George Willard, Nancy, William Blake's Inn, illustrated by Ringgold, Faith, Tar Beach Alice and Martin Provensen Say, Allen, Bicycle Man

back to the viewer—her head is turned to look, much CHARACTERS as a real rabbit does when startled by a person. Three small faces appear around the roots of the tree. One set The first three pages also establish the characters. In the of hind legs and a tail are visible under the left-hand first illustration we see the faces of three of the bunnies, root; we infer later that this is Peter. The rabbits ap- the tail of the fourth. Once readers get to know Peter, pear to be realistic—that is, they look like wild rabbits. they guess that the tail must belong to Peter, as he is the The very next illustration shows the rabbits dressed naughty one. The second illustration shows Mrs. Rab- in pink and blue human clothes, against a white back- bit leaning down to talk to her three daughters; Peter is ground, with the three girls clustered around mother turned away, obviously not listening. The third illustra- and Peter with his back to his family, facing the tion again places the rabbits in the woods, but they are viewer. His little blue jacket hides his front paws. The still in their human clothes. Mrs. Rabbit is leaning text contains Mrs. Rabbit's warning to her children to down toward Peter, whose head is tilted back, button- stay away from Mr. McGregor's garden. Thus by the ing the top button of his jacket while Flopsy, Mopsy, second page of the book, both text and illustration es- and Cotton-tail are already going down the path. The tablish the place and the genre—this is a fantasy. text—"Now run along, and don't get into mischief. I Potter's fantasy, however, is special. Her animal am going out" (p. 13)—is obviously directed toward Pe- characters may dress in human clothes and use lan- ter, the only one close enough to Mrs. Rabbit to hear guage, but they act like animals. Everything Peter does her admonition. It is only by seeing the illustration and is possible for a rabbit to do, but his personality is that reading the text that the full implications of this double of an irrepressible child. page can be understood. A Close Look at The Tale of Peter Rabbit 99

Peter turns his back to his family and faces the viewer suggesting that he may not be listening to his mother's instructions. (The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter.)

We are aware of Peter Rabbit's small size and Mother Rabbit makes sure that Peter hears her his vulnerability as we see him knocking over admonition as she buttons the top button of his flower pots when he tries to escape from Mr. jacket: "Run along and don't get into mischief." McGregor's big foot. (Peter Rabbit by Beatrix (Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter.) Potter.) 100 Picture Books

As the adventure occurs the illustrations heighten PLOT the sense of panic, using perspective to indicate how small Peter really is. When Peter is in the garden, Pot- The sequence of action in Peter Rabbit is straightfor- ter is careful to place him with objects that make his ward, clear, and logical. Peter gets into the garden, eats small size apparent; we see him among plants, flower- a bit too much, is spotted by McGregor, is chased, gets pots, a watering can, and Mr. McGregor himself. Per- caught in a gooseberry net, hides in a watering can in a haps the most vivid image of his vulnerability is shed, escapes out the window, hides until McGregor when he flees out of a window, knocking over pots gives up, finds the gate, and makes a mad dash for free- of geraniums, pursued by Mr. McGregor's hobnailed dom and the safety of home, where Mrs. Rabbit puts boot. him to bed with a spoonful of medicine, just as any Just in case the implications haven't been un- good mother would. Readers view the action as they derstood, the sixth illustration shows Peter, ears read it, seeing Peter eating carrots, coming face-to-face upright, squeezing under a gate, and the accompa- with McGregor, getting caught in the net, diving into nying text reads, "But Peter, who was very naughty, the watering can, leaping out the window just as Mc- ran straight away to Mr. McGregor's garden, and Gregor's boot is about to come down on him, and col- squeezed under the gate!" (p. 18). Thus a combina- lapsing on the floor of the rabbit-hole. After he has tion of text and art presents Peter as a naughty but lost his jacket he again looks like the wild rabbit that endearing young rabbit, who is very recognizable he is. The excitement builds twice; once when he is as a human child—curious and apt to ignore a chased by McGregor, and again as he finds his way out mother's restrictions to find out about the world. of the garden. The resolution is clear—he is home, he He not only goes into the garden, but also loses is safe, and he is exhausted. his clothes—"The second little jacket and pair of shoes that Peter had lost in a fortnight!" (p. 54). THEME Later in the story readers see him escaping from great danger and finding his way home again, all by The themes are identifiable and understandable to himself. young readers, established by text and extended by

Peter lies exhausted but relieved while Mother prepares food. The feeling of being safe at home brings comfort. (Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter.) Picture Books for Developing Readers 101 illustrations. The temptation to mischief, very real in the lives of children, is exciting precisely because it is dangerous. Returning home to mother is reassuring. Both emotions are familiar ones to young readers, and these readers can see the excitement and the relief in the illustrations.

ILLUSTRATIONS The illustrations are delicate, carefully wrought water- colors that, as we have seen, work in conjunction with the words to express the action, characterization, and theme. The delicacy and beauty of the illustrations are such that the publisher, Frederick Warne, recently published new editions using a more sophisticated printing technique that captures more closely the true colors of the original watercolors. Potter was a keen observer of nature, a fact appar- ent in the detail that graces her illustrations. Peter consistently looks like a real rabbit, even when he is dressed in human clothes. The position of his ears, for example, is both realistic and indicative of his emo- tions. When Peter cries beside the locked door, he is standing like a sad child, one foot on top of the other with a paw in his mouth; like a tired and scared rabbit, his ears are back rather than straight up (as they are throughout most of the story). Students can under- stand the use of white space to convey isolation, lone- A tear leaks out of a remorseful Peter's eye. His ears liness, and difference. droop; he puts one foot on top of another. He could Potter's accurately detailed, realistic style, deli- easily be chewing on his paw while he reflects upon cate lines, and glowing watercolors are unsurpassed. his misbehavior and adventure. (Peter Rabbit by Other illustrators have tried to illustrate Potter's story Beatrix Potter.) but none can compare with the original. Those who hear the story without seeing Potter's pictures do not experience the full meaning of The Tale of Peter chanting: "I implore you to exert yourself" after hear- Rabbit. ing this story.

LANGUAGE PICTURE BOOKS FOR Potter uses interesting words in interesting ways DEVELOPING READERS and makes this story a delight to read aloud. "Mis- chief," "naughty," "dreadfully frightened," and "exert" Picture books are seminal forces in children's language are but some of the interesting words that Potter and literacy development. Books provide models of provides for her audience. The onomatopoeic words language in use; they demonstrate meanings of con- she uses—"kertyschoo" for a sneeze, "lippity" for a cepts and represent aspects of the world a child is com- slow hop, "scr-r-ritch" for the sound of a hoe—all ing to know. Books that children like and understand increase the vivid quality of the story. One sen- enrich their concept development, their language de- tence from the middle of the story, when Peter is velopment, and their storehouse of experiences. Con- caught in the gooseberry net, illustrates the complex sidering children's voracious appetite for language and and interesting quality of the language of this story: learning, almost any book could be a source for learn- "Peter gave himself up for lost, and shed big tears; ing. We have so many books available, however, that but his sobs were overheard by some friendly spar- we can be selective in those we choose, finding only rows, who flew to him in great excitement, and the very best for children. Teaching Idea 3.3 suggests implored him to exert himself" (p. 33). Children, de- one way to introduce young readers to the work of no- lighting in these interesting words, will walk around table illustrators. 102 Picture Books

the repetitive phrases with the onomatopoeic sounds T eaching Idea 3.3 and encourage them to feel the spider web. Rosemary Wells, a genius at creating memorable characters and stories for young children, gave us a series about Max NOTABLE ILLUSTRATORS who continues to charm us. She now adds Edward the Unready in Edward's Overwhelming Overnight, Ed- Read books by the outstanding illustrators ward in Deep Water, and Edward Unready for listed below, who discuss their art. Become fa- School (all N). Edward, a lovable late-blooming bear, miliar with a few artists so that students can is reassured to hear that not everyone is ready for the recognize an artist's style without seeing the same things at the same time. He undertakes each new name. Play "Name that Illustrator" in a Jeop- experience with apprehension. Included in Booklist ardy game format: Hold up a book and say, "The 3.4 are some other very good board books. illustrator of this book." Students respond by saying, "Who is [name of the illustrator]?" Participation Books Mitsumaso Anno Leo Lionni Participation books provide concrete visual and tactile José Aruego Arnold Lobel materials for children to explore—textures to touch, Jan Brett Thomas Locker flaps to lift, flowers to smell, and pieces to manipulate. Eric Carle David Macaulay Dorothy Kunhardt's Pat the Bunny (N), a favorite for Barbara Cooney Robert McCloskey 50 years, asks children to look in a mirror, play peek-a- Tomie de Paola Helen Oxenbury boo, and feel a scratchy beard; babies love touching Leo and Diane Dillon Patricia Polacco this book. Gail Haley James Ransome Some participation books rely on visual rather than Kevin Henkes Greg Shed tactile participation, asking young readers to find Tana Hoban William Steig something on the pages—such as Janet and Allan Susan Jeffers James Stevenson Ahlberg's Each Peach Pear Plum, which asks readers Ezra Jack Keats Chris Van Allsburg to look for familiar folklore characters hidden in the Steven Kellogg Rosemary Wells illustrations. These books involve young readers in the See: Pat Cummings, Compiler-Editor, Talking With Artists: act of reading, requiring their active participation in Volume One, which includes interviews with Victoria Chess, the process. Other excellent participation books are Pat Cummings, Leo and Diane Dillon, Richard Egielski, Lois listed in Booklist 3.4. Ehlert, Lisa Campbell Ernst, Steven Kellogg, Jerry Pinkney, Lane Smith, Chris Van Allsburg, and David Wiesner; and Talking With Artists: Volume Two, which has conversations with Thomas B. Allen, Mary Jane Begin, Floyd Cooper, Julie Downing, Denise Fleming, Sheila Hamanaka, Kevin Henkes, William Joyce, Maira Kalman, Deborah Nourse Lattimore, Brian Pinkney, Vera B. Williams, and David Wisniewski.

PICTURE BOOKS FOR VERY YOUNG CHILDREN Board Books Board books, which appeal to infants and toddlers up to 3 years of age, are usually 6 to 12 pages of sturdy cardboard. There are also cloth books, shape books, pudgy books, lift-the-flap books, toy books, and bath- tub books, in addition to the popular cardboard books. Books of this type, appropriate for children in the pic- ture identification stage, are also good for those in the earliest stages of reading—pointing to pictures and la- beling them, creating meaning from texts. Eric Carle's The Very Busy Spider (N), reissued as a 24-page board book, has brightly colored collages E dw a rd is not yet re a dy for staying overnig h t; he will and tactile renderings of the spider's growing web. let his pare nts know when the time is rig ht. (E d wa rd ’ s Adults reading this book with children ask them to say O verwhelming Ove r n i g h t by Rosemary We l l s. ) Picture Books for Developing Readers 103

B o o k l i s t 3.4

PICTURE BOOKS FOR VERY YOUNG CHILDREN

Participation Books ————— , Max's New Suit

Ahlberg, Janet, and Allan Ahlberg, Each Peach ————— , Max's Ride Pear Plum Simple Storybooks and Concept Books , Peek-A-Boo ————— Baer, Gene, Thump, Thump, Rat-a-Tat-Tat, Carle, Eric, The Very Busy Spider illustrated by Lois Ehlert Cousins, Lucy, Katy Cat and Beaky Boo Barton, Byron, Bones, Bones, Dinosaur Bones Hill, Eric, Spot Goes Splash! ————— , I Want to Be an Astronaut ————— , Where's Spot? Brown, Margaret Wise, Goodnight Moon, Isadora, Rachel, Babies illustrated by Clement Hurd

Kunhardt, Dorothy, Pat the Bunny ————— , Red Light, Green Light, illustrated by Miller, Margaret, Whose Hat? Leonard Weisgard Pomerantz, Charlotte, Flap Your Wings and Try, Crews, Donald, School Bus

illustrated by Nancy Tafuri ————— , Truck Board Books and Caption Books Ehlert, Lois, Color Farm Alexander, Martha, Willy's Boot ————— , Color Zoo Cousins, Lucy, Farm Animals ————— , Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf Greenaway, Elizabeth, Cat Nap Gibbons, Gail, Trucks Hawkins, Colin, and Jacqui Hawkins, Hey Diddle Hest, Amy, In the Rain With Baby Duck, Diddle illustrated by Jill Barton Hoban, Tana, What Is It? Hoban, Tana, Exactly the Opposite Hudson, Cheryl Willis, Good Night Baby, ————— , Of Colors and Things illustrated by George Ford Jonas, Ann, Color Dance Leslie, Amanda, Play Kitten Play: Ten Animal McMillan, Bruce, Super Super Superwords Fingerwiggles Meddaugh, Susan, Hog-Eye MacDonald, Amy, Let's Pretend Noll, Sally, Watch Where You Go Maris, Ron, Ducks Quack Oxenbury, Helen, Good Night, Good Morning

Oxenbury, Helen, I Can ————— , The Important Visitor

————— , I Hear ————— , Mother's Helper ————— , I See Rathmann, Peggy, Goodnight, Gorilla ————— , I Touch Rockwell, Harlow, My Nursery School Slier, Deborah, Baby's Places Serfozo, Mary, Who Said Red?, illustrated by Waddell, Martin, Owl Babies, illustrated by Patrick Keiko Narahashi Benson Tafuri, Nancy, Spots, Feathers, and Curly Tails Wells, Rosemary, Max's Bath Wells, Rosemary, Edward in Deep Water

————— , Max's Birthday ————— , Edward's Overwhelming Overnight

————— , Max's Breakfast ————— , Edward Unready for School ————— , Max's First Word

Storybooks and Poems also enjoy simple picture storybooks, such as Rosemary Wells's Max's Breakfast (N), in which a clever Stories to begin on have a simple plot line, are about younger brother manages to outwit his bossy older sis- familiar childhood experiences, and contain clear il- ter in just a few pages. These books introduce children lustrations. Toddlers who enjoy participation books to stories designed to capture and hold their interest, 104 Picture Books

even if they have a short "sitting span," and are often Alphabet Books the books that children turn to when they decide to Nonfiction books that use the structure of the basic in- "read" to themselves or to their toys. gredients of language are referred to as alphabet books. There are many simple storybooks and poems that Alphabet books serve many useful purposes, only one appeal to children who have outgrown books for ba- of which is related to learning the alphabet. Children bies but are not yet ready for longer stories. These 2 to 4 years old point to pictures and label objects on books generally have a brief text and very engaging il- the page; 5-year-olds may say the letter names and lustrations, as in Sarah Hayes's series This Is the Bear words that start with each letter; 6-year-olds may read (N) and This Is the Bear and the Bad Little Girl the letters, words, or story to confirm their knowledge (N), illustrated by Helen Craig. For instance, the first of letter and sound correspondences. Whichever way book is a simple, rhyming story about a bear who is they are read, alphabet books help to develop chil- tossed out in the rubbish, rescued by his boy, and made dren's awareness of words on a page, and they play a safe forever. The book has clear, realistic illustrations useful part in language learning in addition to the that depict the action and elaborate the emotions. pleasurable hours they provide a child. Small speech balloons in the illustrations add to the No one need settle for a mediocre alphabet book, story line. because there are magnificent ones available—such as Stephen Johnson's Alphabet City (P), Janet Mar- shall's Look Once, Look Twice (P), Jane Yolen's Al- PICTURE BOOKS FOR NURSERY phabestiary (P–I), and Helen Oxenbury's The ABC of AND PRIMARY GRADES Things (N), an enduring favorite. In Oxenbury's As children mature and their worlds expand, the num- book, the elongated shape and simple format appeal to ber of books that are available to them also expands. young readers. Each double-page spread contains both Children in the nursery and primary grades have their uppercase and lowercase letters, one or more words be- choice of concept books, alphabet books, counting ginning with the letters, and objects associated with books, books that support their early attempts at inde- the letters. Children enjoy the way the illustrations pendent reading, and books that relate to every facet place the objects in humorous situations, such as a cat of their world. Booklist 3.5 has many excellent books and a cow sitting on a chair while a crow carries in a for this age group. cake full of candles. Jane Yolen's All in the Woodland Early (N–P), illustrated by Jane Breskin Zalben, fea- tures birds, animals and insects of the North American Concept Books woodlands. A girl wanders through the woods meeting a boy who tells her that he is going hunting. She fol- Concept books, simple nonfiction books, use many ex- lows him and they accumulate 26 animals. It turns out amples to describe objects or ideas. Nursery and pri- in a surprise ending that they are hunting for friends. mary school children are busy learning about the Zalben's illustrations, delicately beautiful and scientif- world, and a number of concept books engage these ically accurate, present clearly written uppercase let- young readers. They contribute to the child's expand- ters; the story in song with music included can be ing knowledge and language by providing numerous memorized by young readers. examples of an idea. Some present abstract ideas Alphabet books are not only for young children. (shape, color, size, or sound) through many illustra- Authors use the ABCs to structure information, as tions, such as in Lois Ehlert's Color Zoo (N–P). Ehlert Kristen Joy Pratt uses the alphabet for A Walk in the uses bold colors and geometric shapes to form various Rain Forest (P) and A Swim in the Sea (P). animals, adding a shape at a time to create different animal faces. Children enjoy working with this book, Counting Books and often experiment with creating images through shapes and color on their own. Other nonfiction books help children learn numbers. Other books tell a story based on concepts like time Many counting books are available for the nursery and or emotions, such as Ellen Kandoian's Is Anybody Up? primary grades, ranging from books with simple pic- (P), which explores time zones. When young Molly tures reflecting the progression from 1 to 10 to those wakes up on the east coast of the United States, she with complicated illustrations like those in Arthur wonders who else is up. The answer takes readers Geisert's Pigs From 1 to 10 (P–I). Geisert hides north to Baffin Bay and south to Antarctica, to differ- the numerals 0 through 9 in pictures that detail the ent cultures and different languages. Much of the in- quest of 10 pigs searching for a special place. Children formation about these other places is supplied through enjoy looking for the numerals as well as telling the the illustrations. story. Picture Books for Developing Readers 105

Molly Bang's book counts backwards, Ten, Nine, put onto paper learn intuitively the relation between Eight (N–P). A father helps his daughter into bed, print and sound. This means of teaching, called the counting from 10 toes to 1 sleepy child. The illustra- language experience approach, provides a meaningful tions depict the bedtime activities, inviting young foundation for reading, especially when accompanied readers to find the numbered objects as well as to enjoy by a strong reading-aloud program based on good liter- the visual story. Other books count well beyond 10, or ature. in sets—such as Anno's Counting Book (P–I), which Older children can also enjoy wordless books. In- moves from 0 to 12, from January to December, and termediate-grade students use them as models for story from an empty landscape to a small village with 12 writing; and junior high school students use them to houses, 12 adults, and 12 children, going to church at delineate the elements of fiction. Emily Arnold Mc- 12 p.m. and spotting 12 reindeer in the sky. Counting Cully's School (N–P) can be enjoyed by a range of books help children develop concepts of quantity and readers, each for different purposes. Young children seriation through fine visual portrayal of numerical enjoy retelling this story of a young mouse who finds a concepts. The best illustrations for young children way to go to school with her older siblings. Primary- avoid distracting clutter so that the objects can be grade children can supply narration and dialogue. The identified and counted without confusion. conflict–resolution structure of this story, along with the character development, provides a good model for writers, and students can also explore the illustra- Books for Emerging Readers tions for the vivid visual characterization that Mc- As children mature their taste for books matures, as do Cully provides. their cognitive and linguistic capabilities and needs. Learning to read—being able to unlock the secrets of Patterned Books. Patterned books, also called pre- print on a page—marks an important step toward dictable books, have a highly patterned structure that maturity. Many books are available for developing read- enables children to anticipate what is going to happen ers, including those discussed above. There are also spe- next. Many 4- and 5-year-old children can make pre- cial kinds of storybooks—wordless books, predictable dictions and use their knowledge of phonics to read books, and beginning-to-read books, as well as easy, il- these books on their own after hearing them read lustrated chapter books—that support children's at- aloud. The books are structured through strong lan- tempts at independent reading. guage patterns, such as repeated phrases, rhyme, and Wordless books are appropriate for children who rhythm; cumulative story structures that add, or accu- are developing a sense of story and learning language mulate, information; and familiar concepts, songs, or rapidly. Predictable books are well suited to the child sequences (like days of the week). Detailed illustra- who is beginning to pay attention to print. Beginning- tions reinforce the language patterns and provide a vi- to-read books are perfect for children who have just sual reproduction of the text that is interpreted and become independent readers but still need the support extended by the artist. of simple but interesting texts. Easy chapter books help Reading involves sampling, predicting, and con- newly independent readers make the transition from firming (Goodman, 1985; Smith, 1978). Readers se- beginning-to-read material to full-length novels. lect the most useful information from print in order to predict what it says. They hypothesize the most proba- Wordless Books. Wordless books, discussed briefly ble meaning based on the information sampled and in Chapter 2, tell a story through illustration alone. then confirm it by checking to see if it makes sense, Very young children who do not yet read can retell the matches the letter–sound correspondences, and sounds gist of the story from looking at the pictures; beginning like real language. Patterned books are ideal fare for readers, through their developing concept of story, are beginning readers because they match expectations able to narrate the story, with character and narrator every step of the way. Poetry meets the criteria. voices. Good wordless storybooks contain the ele- Through rhythm, repetition, and rhyme, Lee Bennett ments important in good storybooks—minus the lan- Hopkins's Blast Off!: Poems About Space (P) invites guage; that is supplied by the reader. Some of the best beginning readers to chime in to ride rocket ships or wordless books available are listed in Booklist 3.5 as quietly watch the sky. well as Booklist 2.7 in Chapter 2. Wordless books provide a good opportunity to ex- Beginning-to-Read Books. Beginning-to-read books plore how stories work. Children produce narration for are ones that children who have just become indepen- wordless books that can be written on large charts dent readers can enjoy on their own; they combine which then become their reading instruction material. controlled vocabulary with creative storytelling. Early Moreover, children who watch their own words being books of this type were stilted, but today's authors 106 Picture Books

B o o k l i s t 3.5

PICTURE BOOKS FOR NURSERY AND PRIMARY GRADES ABC, Counting, and Concept Books Wordless Books Anno, Mitsumasa, Anno's Alphabet Aliki, Tabby: A Story in Pictures Aylesworth, Jim, The Folks in the Valley: A Aruego, José, Look What I Can Do Pennsylvania Dutch ABC, illustrated by de Paola, Tomie, Pancakes for Breakfast Stefano Vitale Goodall, John, Little Red Riding Hood ————— , Old Black Fly, illustrated by Stephen Hoban, Tana, Colors Everywhere Gammell Hutchins, Pat, Changes, Changes Bowen, Betsy, Antler, Bear, Canoe: A Northwoods Keats, Ezra Jack, Pssst! Doggie Alphabet Year Koren, Edward, Behind the Wheel Ehlert, Lois, Eating the Alphabet Mayer, Mercer, Frog Goes to Dinner Fisher, Leonard Everett, The ABC Exhibit McCully, Emily Arnold, Picnic Grossman, Virginia, Ten Little Rabbits Ormerod, Jan, Moonlight Johnson, Stephen T., Alphabet City , Sunshine Kellogg, Steven, Aster Aardvark's Alphabet ————— Adventures Patterned Books Kitamura, Satoshi, From Acorn to Zoo: And Carlstrom, Nancy White, Jesse Bear, What Will Everything in Between in Alphabetical Order You Wear?, illustrated by Bruce Degen Lobel, Anita, Alison's Zinnia Ehlert, Lois, Feathers for Lunch Lobel, Arnold, On Market Street, illustrated by Fleming, Denise, In the Tall, Tall Grass Anita Lobel Fox, Mem, Hattie and the Fox, illustrated by MacDonald, Suse, Alphabatics Patricia Mullins Martin, Bill Jr., and John Archambault, Chicka Guarino, Deborah, Is Your Mama a Llama? Chicka Boom Boom, illustrated by Lois Ehlert illustrated by Steven Kellogg McKenzie, Ellen Kindt, The Perfectly Orderly Hennessy, B. G., Jake Baked the Cake, illustrated House, illustrated by Megan Lloyd by Mary Morgan McMillan, Bruce, Beach Ball—Left, Right Hutchins, Pat, What Game Shall We Play? Merriam, Eve, Halloween A B C, illustrated by Katz, Michael Jay, Ten Potatoes in a Pot: And Lane Smith Other Counting Rhymes, illustrated by June Owens, Mary Beth, A Caribou Alphabet Otani Paul, Ann Whitford, Eight Hands Round: A Kovalski, Maryann, The Wheels on the Bus Patchwork Alphabet, illustrated by Jeannette MacDonald, Amy, Rachel Fister's Blister, Winter illustrated by Marjorie Priceman Rankin, Laura, The Handmade Alphabet Martin, Bill Jr., Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Shannon, George, Tomorrow's Alphabet, Do You See?, illustrated by Eric Carle

illustrated by Donald Crews ————— , Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Sloat, Teri, From Letter to Letter Hear?, illustrated by Eric Carle Ziefert, Harriet, Big to Little, Little to Big, Martin, Bill Jr., and John Archambault, Chicka illustrated by Susan Baum Chicka Boom Boom, illustrated by Lois Ehlert

————— , Clothes On, Clothes Off, illustrated by Marzollo, Jean, Pretend You're a Cat, illustrated Susan Baum by Jerry Pinkney

————— , Count Up, Count Down, illustrated by Neitzel, Shirley, The Bag I'm Taking to Susan Baum Grandma's, illustrated by Nancy Winslow Parker

————— , Empty to Full, Full to Empty, illustrated ————— , The Jacket I Wear in the Snow, by Susan Baum illustrated by Nancy Winslow Parker Picture Books for Developing Readers 107

continued

Robart, Rose, The Cake That Mack Ate, illustrated Parish, Peggy, Scruffy, illustrated by Kelly Oechsli

by Maryann Kovalski ————— , Teach Us, Amelia Bedelia, illustrated by Rosen, Michael, We're Going on a Bear Hunt Lynn Sweat Shaw, Nancy, Sheep in a Shop, illustrated by Porte, Barbara Ann, Harry in Trouble, illustrated Margot Apple by Yossi Abolafia Stow, Jenny, The House That Jack Built Rosen, Michael, We're Going on a Bear Hunt, Suteyev, Vladimir, Chick and the Duckling, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury illustrated by José Aruego and Ariane Dewey, Rylant, Cynthia, Henry and Mudge: The First translated by Mirra Ginsburg Book, illustrated by Sucie Stevenson

Waber, Bernard, Do You See a Mouse? ————— , Henry and Mudge and the Bedtime Walsh, Ellen Stoll, Mouse Count Thumps, illustrated by Sucie Stevenson

————— , Mouse Paint ————— , Henry and Mudge and the Best Day of Zelinsky, Paul O., The Wheels on the Bus All, illustrated by Sucie Stevenson ————— , Henry and Mudge and the Careful Beginning-to-Read Books Cousin, illustrated by Sucie Stevenson

Baer, Gene, Thump, Thump, Rat-a-Tat-Tat, ————— , Henry and Mudge and the Forever Sea, illustrated by Lois Ehlert illustrated by Sucie Stevenson

Browne, Anthony, I Like Books ————— , Henry and Mudge and the Happy Cat, ————— , Things I Like illustrated by Sucie Stevenson

Brown, Marc, Play Rhymes ————— , Henry and Mudge and the Long Byars, Betsy, The Golly Sisters Go West Weekend, illustrated by Sucie Stevenson Carlstrom, Nancy White, Better Not Get Wet, ————— , Henry and Mudge Get the Shivers, Jesse Bear illustrated by Sucie Stevenson Fleming, Denise, In the Tall, Tall Grass ————— , Henry and Mudge in the Green Time, Goennel, Heidi, My Dog illustrated by Sucie Stevenson Lobel, Arnold, Days With Frog and Toad ————— , Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble, illustrated by Sucie Stevenson ————— , Frog and Toad All Year , Henry and Mudge in the Sparkle Days, , Frog and Toad Are Friends ————— ————— illustrated by Sucie Stevenson ————— , Frog and Toad Together ————— , Henry and Mudge Take the Big Test, Mahy, Margaret, The Horrendous Hullabaloo, illustrated by Sucie Stevenson illustrated by Patricia MacCarthy ————— , Henry and Mudge Under the Yellow ————— , 17 Kings and 42 Elephants, illustrated Moon, illustrated by Sucie Stevenson by Patricia MacCarthy Shaw, Nancy, Sheep in a Shop, illustrated by Marshall, James, The Cut-Ups Crack Up Margot Apple Martin, Bill Jr., and John Archambault, Here Are Van Leeuwen, Jean, Oliver, Amanda, and My Hands, illustrated by Ted Rand Grandmother Pig, illustrated by Ann Marzollo, Jean, Pretend You're a Cat, illustrated Schweninger by Jerry Pinkney ————— , Oliver Pig at School, illustrated by Ann Minarik, Else, Father Bear Comes Home, Schweninger illustrated by Maurice Sendak Ziefert, Harriet, The Gingerbread Boy, illustrated ————— , A Kiss for Little Bear, illustrated by by Emily Bolam Maurice Sendak Noll, Sally, Watch Where You Go 108 Picture Books have mastered the form. We have many excellent be- level. Publishers now tend to produce more reader- ginning-to-read books that tell good stories in a nat- friendly books with greatly increased illustration and ural way. less densely packed texts. Teachers and librarians have Good beginning-to-read books have strong charac- found that second language students learn from heav- terization, worthy themes, and engaging plots. The ily illustrated texts and picture books more readily sentences are generally simple, without a lot of embed- than from dense text-only books. ded clauses, and the language is often direct dialogue. In Byrd Baylor's Hawk, I'm Your Brother (I–A), Lines of text are printed so that sentence breaks occur Peter Parnall's illustrations highlight the agony of according to natural phrasing, with meaningful chunks Rudy's struggle to tame a wild hawk and learn to fly. of language grouped together. Illustrations depict the Parnall brilliantly portrays the hawk's longing to be characters and action to reflect and extend the text, free and reflects the culture and land of the story's set- which contains a limited number of different words ting. The text, however, is a lyrical, beautiful poem and tells an interesting story. Arnold Lobel's series, in- that could stand alone. The dilemma Baylor poses and cluding Frog and Toad Are Friends (N–P), has been a the emotional struggle Rudy faces bring recognition favorite with newly independent readers for years. Frog and empathy from older children. and Toad, humanlike characters in animal form, solve Sometimes a picture book for older readers is a visual understandable problems with naivete and wit. A tour de force, a stunning example of an artist's vision, theme of friendship pervades all of their intriguing sto- such as Chris Van Allsburg's The Polar Express and ries. Illustrations depict the action and provide a lot of The Wretched Stone, and David Macaulay's Black emotional details about the characters. Lobel chooses and White (all I–A). The text of The Wretched Stone words wisely; he has created an easy-to-read story so consists of excerpts from a fictional ship's log and tells a well written that it's a pleasure to read it aloud. Cyn- strange tale of men transformed into apes by staring at a thia Rylant, another wizard with words, created a se- glowing stone they have brought on board ship. The il- ries including Henry and Mudge and the Best Day of lustrations tell the rest of the story, with wonderful All: The Fourteenth Book of Their Adventures (P), details of the ship, the island, and the crew's transfor- illustrated by Sucie Stevenson. Mudge, an irrepressible mation, and provide humor as well. Older readers enjoy dog, belongs to Henry, who celebrates his birthday discussing the symbolism of the stone, easily relating it with cake, ice cream, and plenty of dog biscuits. to their own lives. Picture books that appeal to older As children grow in their reading ability, they readers are listed in Booklist 3.6. move beyond these early materials to easy chapter books and then full-length texts. However, even though children outgrow reading about Frog and Toad and other vivid characters from their early reading, FORGING CONNECTIONS they remember their happy, successful encounters BETWEEN LIFE AND with these books. These strong, positive experiences LITERATURE propel them into more close and happy encounters with literature. Children forge connections between the books they read and the life they live because literature reflects every aspect of life. Children's language ability devel- PICTURE BOOKS FOR INTERMEDIATE ops rapidly from birth through the primary grades; AND ADVANCED READERS then their social ability grows as their world expands. Once, the vast majority of picture books were pub- They learn about themselves and their families, de- lished for students in the primary grades, but today velop social knowledge as they form friendships and go publishers offer a variety of picture books that appeal to school. They also learn about the natural world and to older students. Reasons for the change come from the aesthetic world of art, music, dance, and literature. both sides of the supply-and-demand column: Teach- Their imagination feeds on new experiences with life ers and librarians ask for books that appeal to visually and literature. Picture books support and enrich this literate MTV-oriented students. Teachers use picture spiraling development, offering opportunities for vir- books to work effectively with struggling readers who tual experiences and information as well as imagina- learn more quickly from books with more pictures and tive language experiences. less text than traditional textbooks. They use picture books to model the craft of writing and to highlight THE CHILD'S INNER WORLD narrative techniques. In an integrated, literature-based curriculum, students explore topics in picture books In a supportive environment, children soon come to that convey relevant information on their interest know that they are unique and capable of expressing B o o k l i s t 3.6

PICTURE BOOKS FOR INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED READERS Adler, David, Martin Luther King, Jr: Free at Last Lawrence, Jacob, The Great Migration: An

————— , A Picture Book of Sojourner Truth American Story Agee, Jon, The Incredible Painting of Felix Locker, Thomas, The Boy Who Held Back the Sea

Clousseau ————— , Snow Toward Evening: A Year in River Alexander, Sue, Nadia the Willful, illustrated by Valley: Nature Poems

Lloyd Bloom ————— , Where the River Begins Anno, Mitsumasa, Anno's Alphabet Macaulay, David, Black and White

————— , Anno's Britain Maruki, Toshi, Hiroshima No Pika

————— , Anno's Journey McKissack, Patricia, and Frederick McKissack,

————— , Anno's Math Games Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Base, Graeme, Animalia Quarters Baylor, Byrd, I'm in Charge of Celebrations, Medearis, Angela Shelf, The Freedom Riddle, illustrated by Peter Parnall illustrated by John Ward Bjork, Christina, Linnea in Monet's Garden Mendez, Phil, The Black Snowman, illustrated by Carole Byard ————— , Linnea's Windowsill Garden Mochizuki, Ken, Baseball Saved Us, illustrated by Browne, Anthony, Piggybook Dom Lee , The Tunnel ————— Morimoto, Junko, My Hiroshima Bunting, Eve, Fly Away Home, illustrated by Mullins, Patricia, V for Vanishing: An Alphabet of Ronald Himler Endangered Animals , Smoky Night, illustrated by David Diaz ————— Polacco, Patricia, Pink and Say , The Wall, illustrated by Ronald Himler ————— Provensen, Alice, and Martin Provensen, The de Paola, Tomie, Bonjour, Mr. Satie Glorious Flight: Across the Channel With Dragonwagon, Crescent, Home Place, illustrated Louis Bleriot by Jerry Pinkney Rylant, Cynthia, Appalachia: The Voices of Feelings, Tom, The Middle Passage Sleeping Birds, illustrated by Barry Moser ————— , Soul Looks Back in Wonder Say, Allen, Grandfather's Journey Foreman, Michael, War Games Schertle, Alice, Down the Road, illustrated by Garland, Michael, Dinner at Magritte's E. B. Lewis Goble, Paul, The Death of the Iron Horse S c ie s z ka, Jon, Math Curse, i l l u s t rated by Lane Smith

Goffstein, M. B., A Writer ————— , The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, Heide, Florence Parry, and Judith Heide Gilliland, illustrated by Lane Smith The Day of Ahmed's Secret, illustrated by Ted Sendak, Maurice, Outside Over There Lewin Steig, William, Caleb and Kate Hendershot, Judith, Up the Tracks to Grandma's, Turner, Ann, Dakota Dugout illustrated by Thomas B. Allen Van Allsburg, Chris, Bad Day at River Bend Hooks, William, The Ballad of Belle Dorcas, ————— , The Polar Express illustrated by Brian Pinkney ————— , The Wretched Stone , Freedom's Fruit, illustrated by James ————— Willard, Nancy, The Voyage of Ludgate Hill: Ransome Travels With Robert Louis Stevenson, Hopkinson, Deborah, Sweet Clara and the illustrated by Alice/Martin Provensen Freedom Quilt, illustrated by James Ransome Yolen, Jane, All Those Secrets of the World, Houston, Gloria, My Great Aunt Arizona, illustrated by Leslie Baker illustrated by Susan Condie Lamb ————— , Encounter, illustrated by David Shannon Hunt, Jonathan, Illuminations ————— , Owl Moon, illustrated by John Innocenti, Robert, Rose Blanche Schoenherr Johnston, Tony, Yonder 110 Picture Books themselves and of making choices. As children de- a family. Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard depicts one such velop they begin to understand that they are not the special relationship in Aunt Flossie's Hats (and Crab only people who have needs and feelings. They gradu- Cakes Later) (P–I). Young Sarah and Susan visit their ally learn that others perceive things differently from great-great-aunt Flossie each Sunday afternoon, eager the way they do, and they begin to develop a concept to have her get out her hat collection and tell them of self based on reflections from others. Many picture stories of her own girlhood. James Ransome's oil paint- books address these important self-concepts. ings capture the love between aunt and nieces and Children in the preschool years are busy learning provide interesting historical details that enhance about themselves—who they are and what they can Aunt Flossie's remembrances. Other books that exam- do—and about others. Their self-concept develops as a ine family life are listed in Booklist 3.7. Teaching Idea direct result of interaction with the environment, in- 3.4 describes another way for students to explore fam- cluding the reactions of others to their own actions. ily life through literature. When children see that their actions meet with ap- proval, they are encouraged to explore, to express THE CHILD'S SOCIAL WORLD themselves, and to discover their world. Books mirror Social development intersects all other areas of the primary experiences that shape children's actions, growth; it both reflects and influences the child's total reactions, and feelings and can help children reflect development. Friendships with others develop slowly upon them. Books can play an important role for the child experiencing the conflicts of growing up; they enrich understanding when they relate to life. In addi- tion to providing new experiences, stories also show children that their thoughts, feelings, and reactions are not unusual—that children are like other people T eaching Idea 3.4 and a part of the human race. Issues such as sex-role stereotyping, childhood fears, and family values are some of the ideas that can be found in picture story- CREATE A PICTURE AUTOBIOGRAPHY books for children. Create your autobiography. Include your birth Kevin Henkes explores the idea of feeling special date, your family, friends, important events, fa- (and liking your name) in Chrysanthemum (P). vorite books, goals, and a special moment. Make When Chrysanthemum is born her parents think that a time line of your life. Illustrate your autobiog- she is perfect, and she grows up feeling quite special. raphy with photographs or drawings. Once she goes to school, however, she begins to have Focus on small details of your life; small de- doubts, especially about her name. With words and tails are important to write about. Read the fol- pictures, Henkes explores an emotional issue that is fa- lowing books to see how other authors write miliar to many children. Booklist 3.7 includes picture about special moments in their subjects' lives: books that support children's developing understand- ings about themselves. Bray, Rosemary, Martin Luther King Brinckloe, Julie, Fireflies Cooney, Barbara, Eleanor THE CHILD'S FAMILY WORLD ————— , Miss Rumphius The home is the child's first school; it has a lasting in- Crews, Donald, Bigmama's fluence on every child's intellectual, personal, and so- cial development. Children's lives are affected by new Freedman, Russell, Lincoln: A Photobiography babies, adoption, mothers working outside the home, Hopkins, Lee Bennett, Been to Yesterdays: day care, divorce, grandparents, stepparents, homeless- Poems of a Life ness, and the death of family members. Books are Keats, Ezra Jack, Peter's Chair available that address these and many other people Kuskin, Karla, Thoughts, Pictures, & Words and events that impact on families. The best of these McPhail, David, Lost! books sensitively explore issues related to families and Peet, Bill, Bill Peet: An Autobiography present realistic pictures of the variety of loving rela- tionships that are possible in any number of circum- Rockwell, Anne, My Doctor stances. Stevenson, James, When I Was Nine Many books for young children explore the rela- Zolotow, Charlotte, Someone New tionship between the youngest and oldest members of Forging Connections Between Life and Literature 111 and may not really be possible until children develop Illustrations often offer children visions of natural an identifiable self-concept. By the time children enter life that they wouldn't otherwise have, helping them to school, they are beginning to know how to interact understand and appreciate the complex beauty of the with others; identification with and success in a peer natural world. Barbara Juster Esbensen's Great North- group come next, as children slowly begin to sort out ern Diver: The Loon (I–A), illustrated by Mary Barrett special friends within the group. Brown, goes beyond presenting a lot of information. A Friendship is a mixture of good and bad times detailed and passionate text and exquisitely detailed and usually encounters many stumbling blocks. Of- paintings evoke the mystery and majesty of this bird, so tentimes there are internal and external conflicts as that readers who have never heard the cry of a loon children try simultaneously to declare their indepen- might still care about its survival. Other books about dence as a person and to develop relationships with the natural world are suggested in Booklist 3.8. others. Many picture storybooks portray friendships and so- THE CHILD'S AESTHETIC WORLD cial gatherings. Pat Hutchins presents Titch and Daisy (P) at a birthday party. Titch is ill at ease be- As children's interests broaden, the aesthetic environ- cause he doesn't know the other guests and cannot ment—art, music, dance, and literature—can add im- find his one friend, Daisy. Titch moves from one hiding measurably to their overall sense of well being. Many place to the next while everyone else plays games and children first encounter the cultural arts through has a jolly time. When the birthday cake is served, books; there they can discover the aesthetic world at Titch crawls under the table—and there he finds an early age. Picture books themselves educate the Daisy, who had crawled under there because she could- artistic eye; early and continued exposure to the arts n't find him. Happy endings occur when good friends lays a firm foundation on which children build an ever get together. increasing appreciation for their aesthetic world. Going to school expands the child's social world, Picture books about the arts may be storybooks that and many children's books, such as Amy Schwartz's contain a problem or theme related to the arts, such as Annabelle Swift, Kindergartner (P), recreate the ex- a child wanting to practice an art, a child's effort to be- citement and fears about school as well as familiar come good at an art, or a story in which the arts play classroom experiences. Annabelle thinks that she is all an integral part in the main character's life. Books ready for school because her third grade sister has about the arts may also be nonfiction, explaining con- coached her. When she gets there, however, she finds cepts related to a particular art. that some of the things Lucy told her to say and do Whether fiction or nonfiction, these picture books only make the other children laugh at her. She re- use both illustrations and text to create meaning. The deems herself and her pride, and astonishes her illustrations may elaborate events and emotions, such teacher when she counts the milk money all by herself. as Emily Arnold McCully does in Mirette on the High Children who read this book recognize Annabelle's Wire (P–I), a story about a young girl who struggles to fear of being different and her pride at being the best at learn the art of tightrope walking and to restore her something. Other stories about school and friendship talented teacher's confidence in himself. Illustrations are listed in Booklist 3.7. may also convey information, as they do in Rosmarie Hausherr's What Instrument Is This? (P–I), which invites readers to guess the names of 18 instruments THE CHILD'S NATURAL WORLD and explains how they are made. Photographs show a Children learn about nature as they explore their ever multicultural group of adult artists and young music widening worlds. Firsthand experiences are primary, of students. course, but books can deepen and extend children's Music is an integral part of an aesthetic life. Almost awareness of the natural world. Books can draw atten- from the time they hear their first lullaby, young chil- tion to nature in sensitive and thoughtful ways; many dren can hum or follow along with favorite melodies. do not tell a story as much as establish a mood or cele- Every culture is replete with songs of its people. Many brate natural beauty through both words and pictures. books offer lavish visual interpretations of those Books explore seasonal change, special habitats and rhymes or songs, publishing them as single-edition ecosystems, natural phenomena, and animals, offering picture books or collections. Ashley Bryan is noted children the opportunity for experiences with the nat- for his illustrations of African American spirituals, ural world that they wouldn't otherwise have and con- such as All Night, All Day: A Child's First Book of firming their growing knowledge about nature that African-American Spirituals (P–I). Bryan's beautiful results from their own life experiences. interpretive illustrations accompany the words and 112 Picture Books

B o o k l i s t 3.7

PICTURE BOOKS ABOUT THE CHILD'S INNER, FAMILY, AND SOCIAL WORLDS The Child's Inner World (P) Grifalconi, Ann, Darkness and the Butterfly Loose Tooth, Tooth Fairy Henkes, Kevin, Sheila Rae, the Brave Birdseye, Tom, Air Mail to the Moon, illustrated McPhail, David, Lost! by Stephen Gammell Stolz, Mary Slattery, Storm in the Night, McCloskey, Robert, One Morning in Maine illustrated by Pat Cummings Wells, Rosemary, Max's Dragon Shirt Self-Esteem, Pride in One's Name Anholt, Catherine, and Laurence Anholt, All About Humor You Dumbleton, Mike, Dial-a-Croc, illustrated by Ann Henkes, Kevin, Chrysanthemum James Martin, Bill Jr., and John Archambault, Knots on Hale, Lucretia, The Lady Who Put Salt in Her a Counting Rope, illustrated by Ted Rand Coffee, adapted and illustrated by Amy Schwartz Resourcefulness Kellogg, Steven, Prehistoric Pinkerton Holabird, Katharine, Angelina and Alice, Khalsa, Dayal Kaur, How Pizza Came to Queens illustrated by Helen Craig Macaulay, David, Why the Chicken Crossed the ————— , Angelina's Birthday Surprise, illustrated Road by Helen Craig Mahy, Margaret, The Great White Man-Eating McKissack, Patricia, Flossie and the Fox, Shark: A Cautionary Tale, illustrated by illustrated by Rachel Isadora Jonathan Allen McPhail, David, Emma's Pet Meddaugh, Susan, Hog-Eye ————— , Emma's Vacation Noble, Trina Hakes, The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the ————— , Fix-it Wash, illustrated by Steven Kellogg ————— , Pig Pig Gets a Job Bedtime Books Schwartz, Amy, Annabelle Swift, Kindergartner Brown, Margaret Wise, Goodnight Moon, Segal, Lore, Tell Me a Mitzi, illustrated by Harriet illustrated by Clement Hurd Pincus Fox, Mem, Time for Bed, illustrated by Jane Dyer ————— , Tell Me a Trudy, illustrated by Rosemary Wells Ginsburg, Mirra, Asleep, Asleep, illustrated by Nancy Tafuri Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go! Hurd, Thacher, The Quiet Evening Steig, William, Brave Irene Viorst, Judith, Alexander, Who's Not (Do You Fun, Special Events Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move, Ehlert, Lois, Circus illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser Goennel, Heidi, The Circus ————— , Earrings!, illustrated by Nola Langner Malone The Child's Family World (P) Wells, Rosemary, Shy Charles Grandparents Fears Ackerman, Karen, Song and Dance Man, Bunting, Eve, Ghost's Hour, Spook's Hour, illustrated by Stephen Gammell illustrated by Donald Carrick Anderson, Lena, Stina Carrick, Carol, Left Behind, illustrated by Donald Dorros, Arthur, Abuela, illustrated by Elisa Kleven

Carrick ————— , Isla, illustrated by Eliza Kleven Conrad, Pam, The Tub People, illustrated by Farber, Norma, How Does It Feel to Be Old?, Richard Egielski illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman Forging Connections Between Life and Literature 113

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Flournoy, Valerie, Patchwork Quilt, illustrated by Steig, William, Spinky Sulks Jerry Pinkney Weiss, Nicki, On a Hot, Hot Day ————— , Tanya's Reunion, illustrated by Jerry Wynott, Jillian, The Mother's Day Sandwich, Pinkney illustrated by Maxie Chambliss Fox, Mem, Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge, The Child's Family World (P–I) illustrated by Julie Vivas Griffith, Helen V., Grandaddy's Place, illustrated Ancestors, Intergenerational Bonds by James Stevenson Cooney, Barbara, Hattie and the Wild Waves

Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Papa Tells Chita a ————— , Island Boy

Story, illustrated by Floyd Cooper ————— , Miss Rumphius Johnson, Angela, When I Am Old With You, Johnston, Tony, Yonder, illustrated by Lloyd illustrated by David Soman Bloom Stevenson, James, We Hate Rain! Houston, Gloria, The Year of the Perfect Williams, Barbara, Kevin's Grandma, illustrated by Christmas Tree, illustrated by Barbara Cooney Kay Chorao Polacco, Patricia, The Keeping Quilt Siblings Pomerantz, Charlotte, The Chalk Doll, illustrated Browne, Anthony, The Tunnel by Frané Lessac Graham, Bob, Has Anyone Here Seen William? Say, Allen, Tree of Cranes Henkes, Kevin, Julius, the Baby of the World The Child's Social World (P–I) Hutchins, Pat, Very Worst Monster Belpre, Pura, Santiago, illustrated by Symeon ————— , Where's the Baby? Shimin Sheffield, Margaret, Where Do Babies Come Cohen, Miriam, It's George!, illustrated by Lillian From?, illustrated by Sheila Bewley Hoban

Wells, Rosemary, Max's Chocolate Chicken ————— , See You in Second Grade!, illustrated by Williams, Vera B., "More More More," Said the Lillian Hoban

Baby ————— , Will I Have a Friend? illustrated by ————— , Stringbean's Trip to the Shining Sea, Lillian Hoban illustrated by Vera B. Williams and Jennifer Fleischman, Sid, Scarebird, illustrated by Peter Sis Williams Henkes, Kevin, Lily's Purple Plastic Purse Yorinks, Arthur, Oh, Brother, illustrated by Richard Hughes, Shirley, The Snow Lady Egielski ————— , Wheels Parents and Family as a Unit Kellogg, Steven, Best Friends Bunting, Eve, The Mother's Day Mice, illustrated Mathers, Petra, Sophie and Lou by Jan Brett Rathmann, Peggy, Officer Buckle and Gloria Browne, Anthony, Piggybook Tsutsui, Yoriko, Anna's Secret Friend, illustrated Keller, Holly, Horace by Akiko Hayashi Loh, Morag, Tucking Mommy In, illustrated by Vincent, Gabrielle, Merry Christmas, Ernest and Donna Rawlins Celestine McPhail, David, Emma's Vacation Winthrop, Elizabeth, The Best Friends Club: A Rayner, Mary, Mrs. Pig Gets Cross: And Other Lizzie and Harold Story, illustrated by Martha Stories Weston Scott, Ann Herbert, On Mother's Lap, illustrated by Glo Coalson 114 Picture Books

B o o k l i s t 3.8

PICTURE BOOKS ABOUT THE CHILD'S NATURAL, AESTHETIC, AND IMAGINARY WORLDS The Child's Natural World (P–I–A) Stevens, Janet, Tops and Bottoms Baker, Leslie, The Antique Store Cat Yolen, Jane, Owl Moon, illustrated by John Schoenherr ————— , The Third Story Cat Baylor, Byrd, The Desert Is Theirs, illustrated by Peter Parnall The Child's Aesthetic World (I–A) Bjork, Christina, Linnea in Monet's Garden, Agee, Jon, The Incredible Painting of Felix illustrated by Lena Anderson, translated by Clousseau Joan Sandin Beneduce, Ann Keay, A Weekend With Winslow ————— , Linnea's Windowsill Garden, illustrated Homer by Lena Anderson, translated by Joan Sandin Blizzard, Gladys S., Come Look With Me: Cazet, Denys, A Fish in His Pocket Exploring Landscape Art With Children Ford, Miela, Sunflower de Paola, Tomie, The Art Lesson Gibbons, Gail, Farming Dunrea, Olivier, The Painter Who Loved Chickens ————— , Zoo Greenfield, Eloise, Under the Sunday Tree, Hadithi, Mwenye, Crafty Chameleon, illustrated illustrated by Amos Ferguson by Adrienne Kennaway Heslewood, Juliet, Introducing Picasso Hoban, Tana, Dots, Spots, Speckles, and Stripes Levine, Arthur, The Boy Who Drew Cats: A Keats, Ezra Jack, The Snowy Day Japanese Folktale, illustrated by Frederic Lewison, Wendy Cheyette, Going to Sleep on the Clement Farm, illustrated by Juan Wijngaard Lyttle, Richard B., Pablo Picasso: The Man and Locker, Thomas, Family Farm the Image Lyon, George Ella, Come a Tide, illustrated by Micklethwait, Lucy, A Child's Book of Art Stephen Gammell Newlands, Anne, Meet Edgar Degas McPhail, David, Farm Boy's Year Pinkney, Andrea Davis, Alvin Ailey, illustrated by Rogers, Jean, Runaway Mittens, illustrated by Rie Brian Pinkney Munoz Roaf, Peggy, Looking at Painters: Dancers

arrangements for 20 spirituals, celebrating this musical joy of being and moving. Music, stories, and poems in- form and the culture that created it. vite expressive participation on the part of children. Other books about music explore musical instru- Stories about dance and dancers intrigue young read- ments, musical groups, and musician's lives. Alan ers who wonder what it would be like. Andrea Davis Blackwood's book, Orchestra: An Introduction to the Pinkney presents a dancer's life in Alvin Ailey (I), il- World of Classical Music (I), gives a history of the lustrated by Brian Pinkney. And Carol Greene pre- orchestra. It introduces classical composers, conduc- sents Katherine Dunham: Black Dancer (I), who tors, and instruments and includes a day in the life of inspired Ailey. an orchestra. Angela Shelf Medearis retells folklore in Children are sensitive to the visual art that sur- Singing Man: Adapted From a West African Folktale rounds them; much of that art is contained in pic- (I). After his manhood ceremony, Banzar decides to ture books. When children have the opportunity to follow his love of music. The elders of the village expel read and savor many picture books, they begin to him but he perseveres to fulfill his dreams. recognize individual artists' styles and develop a sense Expressive movement is natural to children; they of taste. Children who become interested in the lives sway, tap their feet, and bounce, impelled by the pure of artists find some fine biographies of both contem- Forging Connections Between Life and Literature 115

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Sturgis, Alexander, Introducing Rembrandt Joosse, Barbara, and Barbara Lavallee, Mama, Do Sufrin, Mark, George Catlin: Painter of the You Love Me? Indian West Joyce, William, Bently and Egg

Turner, Robyn Montana, Frida Kahlo ————— , Dinosaur Bob & His Adventures With

————— , Georgia O'Keefe the Family Lazardo Zhensun, Zheng, and Alice Low, A Young Painter: ————— , George Shrinks The Life and Paintings of Wang Yani—China's Kellogg, Steven, Jack and the Beanstalk Extraordinary Young Artist, with photos by Lobel, Anita, The Dwarf Giant Zheng Zhensun Martin, Rafe, Will's Mammoth, illustrated by The Child's Imaginative World (P–I–A) Stephen Gammell Pearce, Philippa, Emily's Own Elephant, de Paola, Tomie, Bonjour, Mr. Satie illustrated by John Lawrence Dorros, Arthur, Abuela, illustrated by Elisa Kleven Ringgold, Faith, Tar Beach , Tonight Is Carnaval ————— Steig, William, Doctor De Soto Goes to Africa Fox, Mem, Possum Magic, illustrated by Julie Van Allsburg, Chris, The Mysteries of Harris Vivas Burdick Gauch, Patricia Lee, Tanya and Emily in a Dance , The Wretched Stone for Two, illustrated by Satomi Ichikawa ————— Waber, Bernard, Lyle, Lyle Crocodile Gordon, Gaelyn, Duckat, illustrated by Chris Gaskin Willard, Nancy, Pish, Posh, Said Hieronymus Bosch, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon Gordon, Jeffie Ross, Six Sleepy Sheep, illustrated by John O'Brien Yolen, Jane, Piggins and the Royal Wedding, illustrated by Jane Dyer Hines, Anna Grossnickle, It's Just Me, Emily Yorinks, Arthur, Hey Al, illustrated by Richard Hoffman, Mary, Amazing Grace, illustrated by Egielski Caroline Binch Howard, Elizabeth, Aunt Flossie's Hats (and Crab Cakes Later), illustrated by James Ransome

porary children's book artists as well as important glimpse of that fantasy world by observing the child at artists of the past. Lucy Micklethwait developed a play with an imaginary friend, a favorite toy that has series in which she selects fine art surrounding a uni- been invested with life, or other children. During fying theme, such as I Spy a Lion: Animals in Art these play episodes children create their own imagina- or I Spy a Freight Train (both P–I). Students gain tive narratives. Parents and teachers can contribute to familiarity with art as they search for the animals or an environment that is conducive to children's imagi- trains. native play by playing "let's pretend" games, discussing Picture books enrich a child's aesthetic world. dreams, and making up stories. They can also read Some of the best books for doing this are listed in imaginative stories. Booklist 3.8. Adults who fear that too much fantasy will affect a child's sense of reality need not worry; a lively imagina- tion is a central part of the developmental pro c e s s . THE CHILD'S IMAGINARY WORLD Imaginative stories provide a source of pleasure as well Children's imaginative lives are an important part of as a focal point for children's developing imagination their early years. Adults can sometimes catch a and sense of story. In fact, children who have been de- 116 Picture Books

ric Carle's father, who immigrated to Amer- ica from Germany in 1925, wrote convincing PP E love letters to the girl he left behind. She joined him in 1927, they were married in 1928, and RR Eric was born in 1929, "13 months after the wed- ding," as his mother told everyone until her death. OO Eric started school in Syracuse, New York. One day the teacher asked to see his mother. Convinced FF he must have misbehaved, Eric Carle's mother was re- lieved when the teacher gave her good news. The II teacher told her that Eric not only enjoyed drawing but was good at it and impressed upon her that she L was to encourage and nurture his talent. His mother L honored that advice for the rest of her life. Eric Carle The family returned to Germany in 1935, where EE Eric continued in school for the next 10 years, suffer- ing in a war-torn world under the Nazi regime during the Second World War. After the war, he was admitted to the Akademie to study art at age 16. Eric, un- duly proud of his highly praised artistic ability, was shocked when Professor Schneidler told him that he was the least talented student he had taught in 40 years of teaching. He expelled Eric. Professor Schnei- dler subsequently allowed him to stay—not as an artist, but as an apprentice in the typesetting depart- ment. The discipline of setting type by hand and the inherent limitations of typography shaped Eric's approach to his work. He was later readmitted to regular art and design classes. Schneidler's students were sought after; without having to search for a job, Eric Carle became the art director of a fashion magazine. Eric Carle returned to America in 1952 and applied for a job with Leo Lionni, then art director of For- tune magazine. Lionni offered him a job but also directed him to the art director in the promotion de- partment of the New York Times. Carle worked at the New York Times until he left to serve in the U.S. Army, from 1953 to 1954; he returned after his discharge. Subsequently, Bill Martin Jr. asked Carle to il- lustrate his manuscript Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? This led to other opportunities in publishing, especially an introduction to Ann Beneduce, editor of children's books. Ann Beneduce asked Eric Carle to develop more book ideas. First, he did 1, 2, 3 to the Zoo, a word- less book, because he was unsure of his spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Next, he submitted a story about a green bookworm who had eaten holes through apples, pears, and chocolate cake. "I'm not so sure about a green worm," said Ann. They discussed other animals and insects that might be more appealing and more appropriate. "How about a caterpillar?" asked Ann. "Butterfly!" Eric Carle exclaimed without a moment's hesitation. And so The Very Hungry Caterpillar was launched. Almost without planning it, he became an author and illustrator of books for children, a career he loves. Eric Carle draws upon memories of people he knew as he was growing up in Hitler's Germany—in- cluding an art teacher, a librarian, his foster mother, a prisoner of war who shared food with him, his fa- ther who taught him to love the world of nature, and Professor Schneidler who taught him the discipline that beauty requires of its creators. In America, his own children revived in him his early childhood hap- piness, and Leo Lionni, Bill Martin Jr., and especially Ann Beneduce guided him into the field of chil- dren's books. Eric Carle says: I am fascinated by the period in a child's life when he or she, for the first time, leaves home to go to school. What a gulf a child must cross then; from home and security, a world of play and the senses, to a world of rea- son and abstraction, order and discipline. I should like my books to bridge that great divide. Some of my books have holes, cutouts, flaps to lift, or a raised, touchable surface. They are half toy (home) and half book (school). A book that can be touched and felt, a toy that can be read. And, indeed, don't we speak of grasping an idea, or of being in touch with our feelings! Summary 117 prived of traditional tales and other imaginative stories books in literature-rich classrooms, Kiefer (1986) dis- will create their own (Chukovsky, 1963). Some of the covered that a supportive, enriched classroom en- most distinguished literature for children builds on the vironment was an important factor in children's imaginative life of the central characters. In these sto- responses. Hickman (1995) found in numerous con- ries stuffed animals come to life, fancy runs free, cre a- tacts with schools that teachers can create lively, t u res hide under beds, and imaginary friends are re a l . book-loving classrooms of children almost anywhere — Books that explore imaginative worlds are listed in but it takes planning and work. Teachers read aloud Booklist 3.8. often, talk with children about the books, and make frequent comparisons to other books and real life. They talk about authors and illustrators, refer to them by name, discuss information on the end flaps, PICTURE BOOKS and often study the works of single authors and il- IN THE CLASSROOM lustrators. Teachers discuss all aspects of books— dedication pages, copyright page, title page—and use Picture books of all kinds are staples in primary, inter- stylistic terminology to discuss the language and mediate, and advanced-grade classrooms. Teachers visual art. and librarians have now discovered that picture books Kiefer (1986), Hickman (1995), and Cianciolo have an important place on classroom and library and Quirk (1993) note that, most importantly, teach- shelves. Picture books offer a unique opportunity for ers provide the time and the opportunity for chil- children to experience outstanding visual art, well dren to explore their own responses to the books crafted language, and intriguing content. Picture they read—how they feel, what they are thinking books can support every area of the curriculum. about. This personal connection to a book seems Excellent fiction, nonfiction, and poetry in picture to be a necessary first step to critical aesthetic re- book format are essential to any reading–writing pro- sponse (Cianciolo and Quirk, 1993). After teachers gram. Students naturally use the books they read as encourage children to clarify their understandings, models for their own thinking and writing; picture reflect on what they like and dislike, and talk about books are resources for students' language production. feelings and personal connections, then children are Picture books are natural resources as examples of the ready to go "back to the book" to discover artistry in author's craft. Excellent nonfiction gives children the language and the illustrations. Hickman (1995) models for their own expository writing, just as excel- says that book-loving classrooms are carefully con- lent stories and poems provide models for other modes. structed creations in which children respond to books Literary devices such as imagery, foreshadowing, par- because teachers invite response, because the books ody, metaphor, simile, and analogy are all found in and materials to work with are there, because ap- picture storybooks and poetry. Talking about these propriate times and spaces are provided, and because devices can become a natural part of discussing fa- the activities associated with being a reader are mod- vorite books when children are writers as well as read- eled, supported, and encouraged by a book-loving ers; they constantly notice the choices that authors teacher. and illustrators make. Hall (1994) provides a source When students connect with a book, they re- list of picture book titles that are good examples of a spond in a great many ways. Some students, espe- number of literary devices. Teaching Idea 3.5 offers cially young ones, respond physically, moving their suggestions for using picture books to present literary bodies in rhythm and saying the words they are read- concepts. ing or hearing (Kiefer, 1986). Children often choose Picture books that support learning in social stud- to respond through drama, spontaneously reenacting ies, science, art, music, and mathematics abound; a favorite story or planning an elaborate produc- many are discussed in Chapter 10. These books not tion. Some students write in journals, others adapt only provide fine models of writing in the various the language of books to their own writing. And fields, but they also explain concepts more clearly and many children choose to respond to picture books simply than traditional textbooks and encyclopedias through art. do. They provide numerous pictures, present informa- tion, make comparisons easily available, and encour- age critical thinking. SUMMARY Children respond enthusiastically in classrooms that are rich with books and with opportunities to Picture books are artful books that hold a special place read and respond to the books. In a year-long study in the lives of children who read them. They are often of elementary school children responding to picture children's first and best exposure to fine art. They can T eaching Idea 3.5

PRESENT LITERARY CONCEPTS THROUGH PICTURE BOOKS Picture books make it easy to study literary con- Viorst, Judith, Alexander, Who's Not (Do You cepts because: Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move • Books are slender, well crafted literature. Waber, Bernard, Do You See a Mouse? • Literary elements are visible. Point of View • Concepts are understandable. The point of view (who narrates) affects the telling The following picture books can be seen as exam- of a story; much depends on whose vantage point ples of the literary concept. is used. The following books offer unique view- points. Setting The time and place (setting) are clearly illustrated de Paola, Tomie, Helga's Dowry

in the following books. ————— , The Quicksand Book Baylor, Byrd, I'm in Charge of Celebrations Friedman, Ina, How My Parents Learned to Eat Cameron, Ann, The Most Beautiful Place in the Lionni, Leo, Fish Is Fish World Raschka, Chris, Can't Sleep Carrick, Donald, Dark and Full of Secrets Scieszka, Jon, The True Story of the Three Little Cooney, Barbara, Miss Rumphius Pigs Martin, Bill Jr., and John Archambault, The Van Allsburg, Chris, Two Bad Ants Ghost-Eye Tree Viorst, Judith, I'll Fix Anthony Yolen, Jane, Owl Moon Plot Structure Character and Setting Authors and illustrators manipulate plot structures Character (who the story is about) is often shaped to add variety, intrigue, and interest to their or revealed by the setting. Literary elements are work. The following books contain special plot de- intertwined; they combine to affect still others. In vices: foreshadowing, parallel stories, flashbacks, the following books, characters are representative and cumulative structure. of the setting. Charlip, Remy, Thirteen Hendershot, Judith, In Coal Country, illustrated Macaulay, David, Black and White by Thomas B. Allen ————— , Shortcut Oppenheim, Shulamith Levey, The Hundredth McCloskey, Robert, Blueberries for Sal Name, illustrated by Michael Hays Ness, Evaline, Sam, Bangs, and Moonshine Pinkney, Brian, Jo Jo's Flying Side Kick Scieszka, Jon, Math Curse, illustrated by Lane Radin, Ruth Yaffee, High in the Mountains, Smith illustrated by Ed Young Van Allsburg, Chris, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi Ringgold, Faith, Tar Beach Yorinks, Arthur, Louis the Fish, illustrated by Rylant, Cynthia, When I Was Young in the Richard Egielski Mountains, illustrated by Diane Goode Schroeder, Alan, Ragtime Tumpie, illustrated by Theme Bernie Fuchs The theme (underlying message) is realized in many ways; the following stories show how the Surprise Endings theme of "memories" can be visualized and drama- Surprise endings leave the reader gasping with de- tized. light and shock. Authors and illustrators use clever surprises in the following books. Ackerman, Karen, Song and Dance Man, illustrated by Stephen Gammell Heide, Florence Parry, The Shrinking of Treehorn Fox, Mem, Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge, Kuskin, Karla, Just Like Everyone Else illustrated by Julie Vivas Rathmann, Peggy, Officer Buckle and Gloria Martin, Bill Jr., and John Archambault, Knots on Shannon, George, April Showers, illustrated by a Counting Rope, illustrated by Ted Rand José Aruego and Ariane Dewey Mathis, Sharon Bell, The Hundred Penny Box, Soto, Gary, Chato's Kitchen illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon Steptoe, John, Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters Zolotow, Charlotte, The Old Dog, illustrated by Udry, Janice May, Let's Be Enemies James Ransome Summary 119 enrich and extend children's worlds, provide opportu- books also provide stunning examples of art and lan- nities for experiences through picture and print that guage that become resources from which children allow children to confirm their own worth, to learn draw as they develop their own abilities to shape and about others, and to learn about the world. Picture reshape their world.