The Pleasures of Children's Literature

* Nodelman, Perry. "Picture Books." In The Pleasures of Children's Literature. New York: Longman Publishers USA, 1996.

This chapter begins by challenging the often unexamined premise that picture books exist because children need or prefer pictures. Nodelman notes that making sense of pictures is not an automatic function of seeing them, and actually requires its own (culturally specific) learning process. He also points out that research shows infants prefer the sound of a parent's voice to a visual image, which also makes those assumptions problematic. I like that he concludes this particular discussion by switching the focus from figuring out why picture books exist as a form (or the "correct" form for young children), to understanding that form in all its complex variations and possibilities: "... more important, some of the most pleasurable experiences offered by children's literature are in picture books. If children may be said to like and need picture books, I believe it's mainly because they need and ought to have the many pleasure these books can provide." His approach leaves a little room for mystery and the shining love of story and literature that so often gets ignored in discussions (and oh so necessary grant proposals!) of how picture books can help support literacy, early literacy and other "skills" or "competencies."

The chapter goes on to describe the ways in which pictures provide information needed to make sense of stories, and shows (with illustrated examples) how stylistic choices create different overall effects in mood, suspense, meaning, narrative, or focus. Nodelman offers precise language with which to critically examine picture books and to appreciate the many complex layers of relationship between the text and illustrations.

Thank god someone assigned this reading - I'm so glad to have found it and a little sheepish about not having read it before as I think it's one of the classics. I look forward to the rest of the book. [Note: Cover is for newer edition. I assume it's still great.]