We talk a lot about the role kids’ books play in developing literacy. But ‘literacy’ isn’t just about decoding the dots and squiggles that make words.
Being literate means enjoying a whole range of comprehension and problem-solving tools that may begin with children’s books, but soon become integral life skills.
Reading a picture book to a child, or just for yourself, is a wonderful way to explore the very special blending of words and illustrations. But why skip straight to the story? You can encourage broader reading skills, and a richer understanding of how texts work, by enjoying the parts of a picture book we often skip straight over, like covers, endpapers, and spaces.
Covers
Talking about the cover of a book helps children
grasp what educators call ‘concepts of print’ – that is, learning what a book
actually IS and DOES. Is the book you’re reading hardcover or softcover? Which
do you like better, and why? What does the title mean? Who is the author and
illustrator? Have you read any other books created by those people?
When it comes to the visuals of cover design, even very young readers are surprisingly astute about symbolism. A brightly coloured book with quirky animal characters suggests humour; while a rolling landscape in subdued colours suggests calm.
On the back cover, you can read the book blurb and think
about what you expect to learn and enjoy in this story. There’s a whole
interesting literary conversation to be had before you even turn the first
page!
Endpapers
The pages glued down at the very front and back of
a hardcover picture book are not purely decorative. For one thing, they have
the practical purpose of holding the ‘text block’ (that is, the main pages of
the story) to the ‘boards’ (the hard covers). But they also operate as a
wonderful canvas for the book’s illustrators and layout designers to set the
scene for the main story.
Rather than skip these pages, linger a moment to look
for colours and patterns that allude to story elements. Some endpapers include
maps or biographical information about the creators. Some even tell their own
mini-story with a plot that can be followed from the front endpapers to a
surprise ending at the back. Not only do they provide additional literacy
elements, they provide extra time to calm and focus young readers on the story
comprehension tasks to come.
White space
Visual literacy – that is, learning to read the
pictures, with or without the words – is another valuable skill that can be
honed using picture books. Illustrations often include subtle additional
pictorial elements in addition to what the main story is telling us. These
careful creative choices invite us to discover subtext, ponder the connotations
of story choices like animals, food, or clothing, and reflect on how facial
expressions and body language can suggest certain emotions. Visual literacy
will eventually benefit children as they interact with persuasive images, like
advertising or political campaigns, and navigate ‘fake news’. But did you know
that the white space on a page is as important as the images themselves?
White space is sometimes thought of as ‘blank’
space, where nothing is happening. But it is a deliberate choice, acting as a
sort of punctuation that guides our eyes around the spread. It can be used like
a spotlight, to direct our attention to a key character or incident. It is
often used for montages – that is, depicting a character in various poses or
stages of their journey across a page. It can even influence the pace or
tension of reading by giving the designer room to spread words out, or run them
in playful waves or changing typefaces.
Don’t get me wrong! A simple, start-to-finish read of a picture book is enjoyable for adults and children alike. But next time you’re reading a picture book, give some thought to exploring the book as a whole. The more you understand, analyse, talk about and share in the books your child is interested in, the more invested they’ll become in developing their literacy – which is more than just learning to read.
Dr Lara Cain Gray is a writer, librarian and storytelling advocate based in Brisbane, Australia. Her professional past spans library and museum curatorship, academic research, and corporate and creative writing and editing. Her book The Grown-Up's Guide To Picture Books supports parents, carers, educators and creators to get a deeper understanding of this entertaining, educational and always exciting book format. It is due for release September 2024. Discover more on Lara's website or connect with her on Instagram.
Keep an eye out for our KBR review of The Grown-Up's Guide To Picture Books coming soon!