Journal topic 5: Text and Illustrations in Picture Books

In a picture book, the text and illustrations should work together to enhance and unify the plot, characters and mood. Many readers do not critically analyze the interplay between literacy and visual literacy or fully understand WHY they like a certain book, they just do. However, there are components of illustrations and text that explain why a picture book is successful and memorable and why others are not. Jacobs and Tunnell list seven functions of illustrations in picture books: "establish setting, define and develop characters, reinforce text, provide a different viewpoint, provide interesting asides, extend or develop the plot and establish mood" (2004, p. 37-39). In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to the visual elements within the illustrations: "lines, shape, color, texture and composition" (p. 41-42). Lastly, the following aspects should also be considered: quality, action, detail, foreshadowing, the process of the bookmaking and the decorations on the cover, title page, end papers and font.

Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner is an example of a successful children's book. The cover shows Skippyjon Jones, a Siamese cat with enormous ears and mischievious smile, chewing on the leaf of a plant. Again he's getting into trouble on the title page, talking to a bird and dipping his paw into a bird bath. This continues with his mother scolding him for sleeping in a nest of birds in a big oak tree. In the beginning, the chalk/pastel drawings are bright and soft, setting the stage for the playful mood of the book. This is enhanced by the silly, stylized text. His mother calls him funny nicknames (Mr. Fuzzy Pants, Mr. Kitten Britches) and gives him a rhyming time-out speech because Skippyjon spends all of this time pretending he's something other than a Siamese cat. There are also other little visual jokes in the book--the mother is making sandwiches with "Miracle Nip", the titles of the books and decorations in the house are all cat-centric, the motley group of dogs includes a orange and pink spotted one and a green one with pink flowers. The vibrancy of the blues and greens in particular catch the eye, as does the detail in his room, his fantasy world and in the other cats and dogs. When Mama Junebug Jones says "And stay out of your closet," which has numerous sets of glowing eyes and a glimpse of the Bandito, it foreshadows that Skippyjon is NOT going to listen to his mother. The font gets larger and larger as Skippyjon grows more hyper and excited, until he's convinced that he's a chihuahua (shown by a realistic picture of a dog in the mirror). He starts speaking in mangled Spanglish, integrating stereotypical accents, songs and foods into his imagined identity. As Skippyjon races around his room, or runs around with the group of chihuahuas in Mexico, the lines get looser, bolder and brighter, amplifying the chaos and action of Skippyjon's fantasy. The other dogs are just as spastic as he is, dancing in a fountain, spinning loops in the air or running from the villanious Bandito, a giant bumble bee-like creature that stole the dogs' beans. When Skippyjon slays Bandito, sending down a shower of beans and stuff, Mama Junebug and the other kittens find Skippyjon, buried in what's left of his birthday pinata and candy. Overall, the text and illustrations join together to capture the silly, charming characters and the whimsical storyline.

Cinderella Skeleton by Robert D. San Souci and illustrated by David Catrow is the second example of a successful picture book, this time for older children. Using the fairy tale of Cinderella as a base, this version uses a hollow-eyed skeleton as the main character. The rhyming text contains many scary, evocative words: "ghastliest", "foulest", "packed with spite and spleen". (My favorite quotes are "Cinderella Skeleton watched the others leave in a hearse--skreech in mournful bombazine; Her girls in mildew green sateen" and "Your gleaming skull and burnished bones, your teeth like polished kidney stones, your dampish silks and dankish hair, there's nothing like you anywhere!") The ink and watercolor drawings heighten this gothic and spooky vibe. Not only are the main characters skeletons, but there are plenty of creatures and critters lurking in the background of nearly every page, adding detail to the action of the plot. There's a layer of light, painted leaves, vines and architectural elements beneath the more refined and brightly colored images in the foreground, also creating depth and atmosphere. Compositionally, it can be a bit overwhelming with the quantity of images and colors, but it gives the sense that a constant wind is blowing across the page. Flowing lines and curves help lead the eye. The characterizations are also good. The stepmother and sisters are satisfyingly frightening, with missing teeth, sinister snarls and dangling red finger nails. The strongest part of this story is its play on the original story, both in text and illustrations. Instead of a fairy godmother, Cinderella Skeleton gets a visit from an ogre-like witch, who uses a jack-o-lantern, rats and black cat for her horseman and carriage. Instead of dropping her shoe at midnight, Cinderella's foot snaps off. The colors are a mixture of dark and gloomy blues and grays with bright pinks and yellows at the ball. The other guests are an assortment of monsters and gremlins, and Prince Charnel has bugs and snakes coiling around his arm. All in all, it includes many of the components listed by Jacobs and Tunnell for being a good picture book.

Thirdly is Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert. This brightly colored book about learning the alphabet is not only fun, but engaging. The main characters are huge, vibrant letters, racing up and down a coconut tree. Illustrations are simple and limited to the tree, the letters and an orange and pink polka-dotted border on each page. The text uses melodic, rhythmic language, and children can easily spot each letter as it appears and join in the rhyme. As more of them climb the tree, they bend the tree trunk. The images grow larger and larger as the text builds momentum, until finally the entire alphabet tumbles to the ground in a mess. As the letters reorganize, the tree once again returns to its upright position, only to be climbed again under a full moon.

Fourth is Clack, Clack, Moo, Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Betsy Lewin. The use of watercolor lends itself to a looser, more flowing quality, made more dynamic with a thick, black watercolored line around each image. Very little white space exists throughout the book--instead the backgrounds or the characters fill the page with soft, eye-catching color (which is more muted and gray when seen from inside the unlit barn than the bright outdoors.) Lewin has traditional depictions of a farm, the farmer and the animals. However, this allows the text and illustrations to show a different viewpoint. The cows and chickens (and ducks) are not behaving as expected. Instead they are typing messages in the barn, demanding electric blankets in exchange for their milk and eggs. The humor is increased when the Farmer types a note back to the cows and allows the duck to act as mediator. Lewin also makes good use of shadow--the reader sees only the black outline of the farmer as he rages after seeing the letter from the cows: "Sorry. We're closed. No milk today". The text utilizes rhythmic language, repeating "Click, clack, MOO. Click, clack, MOO. Clickety, clack, MOO." It's a fun, enjoyable book with text and illustrations uniting to enhance the story.

Last is No, David! by David Shannon. It is based on a book Shannon wrote when he was just a kid, depicting a naughtier version of himself getting into all sorts of trouble, with the only words he knew how to spell at the time: "No" and "David". He remade this story as an award winning picture book. From the start, it uses a powerful combination of text and illustrations. The cover shows David, fang-toothed and Charlie-Brown-headed, teetering on a pile of books and about to knock over a fishbowl of terrified goldfish. The title is written in huge black letters, and immediately the reader can hear this repeated phrase coming out of his frustrated mother's mouth. The next page shows his mother, hands on her hips, with an enormous outline of "NO, DAVID!" around her. It's easy to understand that David hears this phrase constantly--the entire back cover of the book is nothing but "NO" written over and over again. David's antics continue on the first page with David scribbling with his crayons on the wall. In fact, the text appears as David's handwriting. The book sets up a predictable plot--naughty David--but because of the vibrant colors, playful illustrations and outrageous behavior, the reader is compelled to turn the page to see what happens next. Shannon draws and paints with primary colors, uses simple shapes (the hands don't even have fingers; they're just circular blobs) and a sketchy style as if the story were drawn by a child rather than an adult. The busy line quality and irregularly colored images ramp up the mess and destruction caused by David and the anxiety and anger coming from his mother. Children easily understand the consequences of David's actions and can shout "No, David!" as the story unfolds. This book is highly entertaining and very effective with its use of both text and illustrations.

Jacobs, J. S. & Tunnell, M. O. (2004). Children's literature, briefly (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle Rover, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.