Picture books are designed for children and use illustrations to tell a story. They can have text or be wordless, and are meant to introduce children to reading. They come in various artistic mediums and are usually simple. The concept emerged in the late 1800s and is still popular today.
A picture book is a book designed for children that uses pictures and illustrations to tell a story. In some cases, a picture book can convey the meaning of the story entirely through pictures, without any text. In other cases, the text accompanies the images and is read together with them. Either way, the book is designed to introduce children to the idea of books and reading. As a general rule, each page turn reveals a new image, or series of images.
Very young children are usually given cardboard books, made of sturdy materials and with bright, simple illustrations. Once children start moving out of board books, they are offered picture books as a transition before starting simple chapter books. Most children start reading these books by the age of two or three and can continue to enjoy them for several years. Initially, parents usually hold the books for their children, reading the text aloud and pointing out interesting features in the illustrations.
The artistic medium of a picture book can vary widely. Pastels, paints, colored pencils, pens, watercolors, and collages are all used to illustrate these books. The illustrator tries to make the book visually lush, with detailed and interesting images to capture the imagination. The idea is to make children reflect on each page, savoring the details of the images and thinking about them. Pictures draw children into the book, leading them to be intrigued by other books, including those with words.
When picture books have text, it’s relatively simple. Many books use rhyming text to teach children the rhythms and patterns of words. If the text is intended for the child to read, it is usually printed in a clear, large font so that the child can easily locate the words on the page. More complex text that will be read aloud to the child can be in a smaller font, fitting more than one story into words on each page.
The picture book as a concept emerged in the late 1800s when the idea of introducing children to reading through pictures first emerged. A number of famous authors and illustrators such as Beatrix Potter wrote these books during this period. Most modern picture books are written and illustrated by different people, although authors and illustrators sometimes collaborate on projects together. Typically, a publisher receives the text of the book from the author and then looks for an illustrator. In a wordless book, the publisher may commission an illustrator with a specific concept in mind.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
