Children's Literature: Picture Books

Let's begin with the basics...literature.

Goal 1: Read to your children!  Any time, any where and often.
Goal 2: Expand the Experience


You are reading to your child or children, that in itself is something to pat yourself on the back for doing, but let's go farther. Let's think about the types of literature you are exposing your child to and why it's important (in general).  Let's start with a few important categories.

1. Picture Books
2. Chapter Books
3. Caldecott Winner and Honor Books
4. Newbery Winner and Honor Books
5. Books from a variety of cultures
6. Books from a variety of genre
   

Now lets discuss this number 1...Picture Books.

Pictures books are important from the very beginning and the name is self explanatory.  The books themselves are full of pictures and the pictures are important to the early development of your child's literacy.  There are many clues within the pictures of a book that help tell a story.  Pictures help children in the beginning processes of reading by helping them figure out what words are that they do not know and even which direction a book is held (check...does your child turn the book right side up?)

Picture books cover a very wide range of topics, interests and are written for many different age groups.  I know almost all of my collection of books are picture books.  I have board books for babies and toddlers, books of interest (trains and animals) for all ages, touch and feel books (also for babies and toddlers), and the list goes on and on.  Reading picture books is an experience that you can give your child before birth and many years after.  Picture books generally have a balance between pictures and text but some of the best pictures books may have no text at all.  This is a good thing.  No text means that you and your child can make up the story from beginning to end based on the pictures and title of the book alone.  Some of my favorite wordless picture books are by Mercer Mayer.  Now, there is also the other end of that spectrum, books that have more text than pictures.  The same is true about these books in terms of imagination in comparing them with wordless picture books.  Instead of making up the story, you and your child make up the pictures in your mind.  Just think of the possibilities and fun activities you can do with your child if there are pictures "missing" from a  picture book.  Wouldn't it be interesting to see how your child would draw the missing pictures using her imagination?  

Where to Buy?  My favorite place to buy books is at a used book store.  They are cheapo!  I also love to buy from the fliers sent home in my child's book bag from school.  If your children aren't in school yet or are home-schooled, you can still purchase from their websites or contact your local elementary school and ask a teacher if you can order books when the class does.  They are always cheaper, you can usually find SUPER deals on particular books, there are usually award winning books on every page.  I tend to stay away from books that are main stream and based off of television shows.  You don't have to; because as long as you are reading to your child or your child is reading something he enjoys, it's still reading!  Oh, and if you order from your child s school, the school or individual teachers usually earn books for their library or classrooms.  Now that's really cool!  Don't forget you can buy them at drug stores, book stores, super markets, etc...just look for them.

We will discuss the other categories above later.

So, what are your questions about Picture Books?

Why do you think it's so important to start reading picture books with very small children (or even sooner)?

How can you expand the reading experience (ex. drawing illustrations)

These are questions to get you thinking and your answers will be a jumping off point for many discussions and articles down the road.