In children’s books, the images often take precedence over the text. This is especially true of storybooks.
Kids hone their ability to organize and sequence events by parsing what is written and what is drawn. This writing and illustration method helps new and struggling readers better understand the story.
When gathering inspiration for your picture book, observe the illustrations of other authors.
The Story
Illustrations are important in children’s books because they help the reader to understand the story. They are also a great way to make the book more interesting for the children. They can be in the form of photographs or drawings.
Children love bright and colorful illustrations. This is why they stay glued to the book and can learn better. Children who are reluctant readers benefit from the pictures as they break up the text and help them comprehend the story.
Illustrations can be used in many ways, such as to illustrate geographical or historical maps. They can also be used to demonstrate how a process works. Some illustrators are photo-realistic, which allows the viewer to see the subject in an almost three-dimensional way. Others use a vector style, which is based on geometric shapes. Still, others incorporate animation, which is used in video games and television shows.
The Characters
Children love characters who make them feel understood and connected. They also like to read about characters who are similar to them in age and gender.
Illustrations in a children’s book can help kids establish verbal and visual connections with the story. They can also introduce them to interpreting visual narratives, encouraging active engagement with the book and exploring clues within each image.
It’s also important that children’s books offer a representation of the real world – so they can see themselves represented. A recent survey shows that almost 20% of children’s books feature characters of color – but much more need to. Seeing themselves in the pages of a book can help children understand that they, too, can be confident and courageous, just as these characters are. This can give them a sense of identity and confidence to live life how they want.
The Setting
Children love to look at illustrations as they give them a whole other dimension. They can interact with them, point at them, and delve into the details to make sense of what is happening in the story. This makes reading books a fun activity for them and helps keep their attention.
Children also use images as clues to help decode the words of a story. They learn that pictures can stand for real concrete or abstract entities and imaginary ones. They also begin to learn about the sequence of events in a story by looking at the illustrations and then summarizing them or recalling what they have already read.
Studies of 3- to 6-year-olds show they can transfer solutions from stories to real-world social and physical problems. They can also identify and remember moral messages in stories even though they do not fully understand them.
The Language
Throughout the history of children’s books, illustrations have been a crucial element. They help kids understand what they are reading and allow them to analyze the story. They also play a role in encouraging kids to read more.
When the first illustrated chapbooks appeared, containing alphabet games, fold-out puzzles, and pictures to color in, there was a fashionable belief, influenced by Locke and Rousseau, that learning could be fun. These peddlers’ packs soon made way for books, and the luscious hand-colored engravings helped to create the great traditions of children’s literature.
It wasn’t long before the genre became a wild west.
