What is a picture book? A picture book is a book for children aged approximately 2 to 6 years old. They have text, but primarily pictures. The pictures in a picture book are called illustrations. Therefore, the text is usually short and simple. The pictures are also important for understanding the story. This makes it fun to look at the illustrations while listening to the story.
In this article, we explain:
- What is the history of the picture book?
- What are illustrations?
- How can the illustrations be created?
- What is the function of this type of children's books.
So we'd like to take you into the world of these children's books. And by the end of this article, you'll know how these books came to be. Finally, we'll also give you tips on why these books can help with reading.
The history of the picture book
- In the 18th century, picture books began to appear that were more focused on stories. These books were often intended to entertain children.
- In the 19th century, picture books became increasingly popular. So more and more books were published. The quality of the pictures also improved. In this century, the first books by famous illustrators, such as Beatrix Potter and Maurice Sendak, also appeared.
- In the 20th century, they became increasingly beautiful and creative. That's why there are also more and more books with artistic pictures. So it's no longer just aimed at children. Because the pictures are increasingly becoming a work of art.
Why they are so important.
- Learn about the world around them
- Learn new words and language
- Stimulate their imagination
- Understand their emotions
- Cope with difficult situations
What are the illustrations in a picture book?
The illustrations in a picture book are the 'pictures', also known as the illustrations in the book. And they can be used in different ways. They can:
- Help tell the story: The illustrations can follow the story chronologically, or they can highlight fragments of the story.
- Support the story: And the illustrations can provide details about the setting, the characters, or the events in the story.
- Help convey emotions: The illustrations can convey emotions such as joy, sadness, or fear.
- They can stimulate children's imagination: Because the illustrations can encourage children to make up their own story.
Drawing techniques
- Pencil
- Ink
- Paint
- Collage
- Pop-up
