by Dianne on November 30, 2012
Why Picture Books Are Important by Brett Helquist
Why are picture books important? I’d like to take that a little further and ask: Why are pictures in books important? I can only answer this question for myself. Reading was not easy for me. I had no trouble learning how to read, I just had trouble motivating myself to read. I had little interest in reading a story unless there was a strong picture to catch my interest. Good pictures always caught my eye and made me want to know the story behind the picture
Pictures added so much to the experience of reading a story. A well imagined picture invited me into the characters’ world and made me want to explore it in my imagination, to find out what was under that rock or behind that tree. Pictures helped me begin to create my own stories. It has been fun to watch my daughter learn to read. Long before she could read a word she told many stories of her own just by looking at the pictures in her favorite books. Her stories were often more fun than the story told in the text.
Pictures not only enhanced the reading experience but helped me to learn to read. When I struggled with a word or a passage, I could always use the pictures to help me figure it out. This became even more important as books became more complex. Later in life, I even taught myself to read Chinese by reading comic books. I could not have done it without those pictures.
I love picture books and books with pictures. I truly believe there’s not a book out there that wouldn’t be a bit better with a good picture or two.
Brett Helquist
About Brett Helquist
Brett Helquist’s celebrated art has graced books from the charming Roger, the Jolly Pirate and Dickens’s timeless Christmas Carol to the frightening Scary Stories collections by Alvin Schwartz and the alarming New York Times bestselling Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his family.
by Dianne on November 29, 2012
Why Picture Books Are Important by Joyce Wan
When I was young, my mom could not speak English but she took me to the library every week without fail. Although she was unable to read to me, picture books enabled us to enjoy the pictures and make up stories together. This would end up being one of her greatest gifts to me—the gift of imagination and creativity ignited by picture books.
As I learned to read, the combination of words and pictures completely immersed me into new worlds. Growing up in rough inner-city housing projects, picture books provided me with a safe refuge and possibilities of adventure, beauty, wonder, and humor. It was a doorway to the richness of the world and gave me hope and inspiration. It was where imagination bloomed and anything was possible. It is this spirit that I attribute all my successes to and which guides me in everything I do to this day.
Picture books empower the underprivileged and give hope to the voiceless. They have the power to capture your heart and transform your soul. They are the first interaction we have with books and that initial connection creates a ripple effect that lasts a lifetime and for generations to come.
Joyce Wan
About Joyce Wan
Joyce is the author and illustrator of Greetings from Kiwi and Pear (Blue Apple Books, 2009), You Are My Cupcake (Cartwheel Books, 2011), We Belong Together (Cartwheel Books, 2011) and has six more books underway. We Belong Together was 1 of 150 books nationwide to be featured in the Society of Illustrators 2011 Original Art Show, an exhibit that showcases the year’s best children’s books. She also owns a stationery and gift company called Wanart, and teaches courses on greeting card design and art licensing at New York’s School of Visual Arts helping others pursue their creative passions. Through all her work, Joyce hopes to inspire people to embrace the spirit of childhood and follow their dreams. Visit Joyce online at wanart.com
