Picture Book

A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words

Picture books combine images and ideas to form a “unique whole”.  Often, the pictures are just as much a part of the story as the text.  In a sense, the words only tell part of the story while the pictures tell the other part.  Pictures can reflect the action, heighten climax of the plot, create the mood of the story, and develop characters.  Check out the three books below!  All are wonderful picture books that integrate words with pictures to enhance the story.

Picture Books

It’s a Book by Lane Smith
Interest Level: K-3
Reading Level: 1.0

Considering the technology-driven world that students grow up immersed in today, this book is keeping up with the times. It points out (through cheeky humor) why books sometimes have an appeal over media, because…well, It’s a Book! Through simple words and well-done illustrations, Smith is able to demonstrate how the mere combination of text and the reader’s imagination makes a book invaluable by comparison to all the wifi-enabled gadgets available today. The pictures definitely play a crucial role in the telling of this story; in particular, for the reader to be able to sense the mood and personality of the main characters.

As a person who both loves new technology and has a personal passion for good, old-fashioned reading, I really enjoyed this picture book. However, one word of caution…the book does contain a swearword on the first and last page of the story – both pages can easily be skipped without the story losing any value as a class read aloud, but I wouldn’t physically put this book in the hands of very young students.

Reviewed by: Tiffany L. Braunel




Diary of a Fly by Doreen Cronin
Interest Level:  K-3
Reading Level:  2.9

This book is the diary of a fly that wants to be a superhero.  Each page is a diary entry from the perspective of a young fly on a particular day. Many entries she explains why she would make a good superhero through detailing different traits of flies. Through the short diary entry and the pictures, young learners can learn different facts and information about flies in a fun way.  For example, through the book readers learn  that flies have 4,000 lenses in each eye and can change directions in flight faster than the blink of an eye.  Even though students can learn a lot from the diary entries, they also learn a lot about flies through the pictures.  For example, through a picture of a spider holding a fork and knife and licking his lips, students can see that spiders eat flies. This book was fun and educational. 

Reviewed by:  Julie Weideman


cornelius p. mud are you ready for school book cover

Cornelius P. Mudd, Are You Ready for School?  by Barney Saltzberg

Interest Level:  K-3

Reading Level:  1.3

 

Cornelius is a pig who has an interesting way of getting ready for school.  Through a series of questions, we discover that Cornelius is all ready for school except for one thing!  A kiss from his mother!  The adorable Cornelius and the bright and cheerful images in this book will capture any child’s attention.  Other books in the series include:  Cornelius P. Mudd, Are You Ready for Bed? (A board book.  Interest Level K-3.  Reading Level 0.6) and Cornelius P. Mudd, Are You Ready for Baby? (Hardcover.  Interest Level K-3.  Reading Level 1.5).

 

Reviewed by Polly J. LaMontagne