tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1337206901491734394.post2833645113777162436..comments2024-03-22T01:00:38.320-04:00Comments on I.N.K.: Are Picture Books Dead?Linda Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17217322360480267856noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1337206901491734394.post-54107202107278030352010-10-26T10:53:47.430-04:002010-10-26T10:53:47.430-04:00Despite the controversy over that New York Times p...Despite the controversy over that New York Times piece, it's certainly worth noting that besides being so compelling and delicious, the artwork in picture books can often teach kids more about a complex subject than the text. Since you've allowed us to toot our own horns here, I'll point out my picture book George vs. George: The American Revolution as Seen from Both Sides. This book is aimed at grades 4-9, and trust me - the art allows readers to learn all about the following potentially dull material in a truly user-friendly way:<br /><br />1) Compare George Washington to King George III in every possible way - and let readers see who they were as real human beings at the same time <br /><br />2)Compare the similarities between the governmental structures of America and Great Britain before the Revolution<br /><br />3) In a single picture, show exactly how the Battle of Breeds Hill was fought from start to finish and what the British generals had to say about the results<br /><br />4) Display the uniforms and non-uniforms and weaponry and ships and fighting methods of every possible type of fighter on both sides<br /><br />And so much more. You could say something similar for just about every good nonfiction picture book out there. And the cultural aspect of good artwork is not to be sneezed at either.Rosalyn Schanzerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11605814379256096903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1337206901491734394.post-19868162821524941342010-10-26T00:01:36.870-04:002010-10-26T00:01:36.870-04:00Forgot to mention that several other authors chime...Forgot to mention that several other authors chimed in with more suggestions in the comments section after that post.Marc Tyler Noblemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1337206901491734394.post-16475610211409744332010-10-26T00:00:23.232-04:002010-10-26T00:00:23.232-04:00I like this gauntlet, David. As it happens, last s...I like this gauntlet, David. As it happens, last spring I blogged about what I called the Golden Age of Picture Book Biography. Okay, a narrower focus than the firestorm that the NYT article started, but relevant to your suggestion here. Included in that post, I listed but a few nonfiction picture books that have no "adult" counterpart - no other trade book on the same subject. The post and list are here:<br /><br />http://noblemania.blogspot.com/2009/04/golden-age-of-picture-book-biography.html. <br /><br />(My book "Boys of Steel" is the first standalone biography of the creators of Superman, but they have been part of larger comics histories.)Marc Tyler Noblemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1337206901491734394.post-45537345508713524432010-10-25T19:59:00.702-04:002010-10-25T19:59:00.702-04:00It's true that most if not all nonfiction pict...It's true that most if not all nonfiction picture books could not be “translated” into a chapter book. I’m working on a math PB right now that would be incomprehensible to adults as well as children without artwork.<br /><br />Various online discussions about that article revealed many holes in it which should make us all resolve to second-guess every source of info, including the NY Times.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02783236322334230920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1337206901491734394.post-31729377285641673482010-10-25T10:28:26.841-04:002010-10-25T10:28:26.841-04:00I don't want to cast any aspertions but I'...I don't want to cast any aspertions but I'm really curious - did you do any research before writing this? Amanda Gignac was misquoted in the NYT article. I'm betting a lot of the people in that article were. She got 274 comments before she had to close them down. The title of the blog post was When Quotes Are Taken Out of Context. Here is the link: http://zenleaf.amandagignac.com<br /><br />This really scares me, because even NAEYC is perpetuating the article on Twitter. I'd like to know what you think after you look at the blog!<br /><br />And FWIW, I don't believe that PBs are dead. There are lots of reasons why there has been a slump.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1337206901491734394.post-76581205621020405342010-10-25T09:54:38.600-04:002010-10-25T09:54:38.600-04:00I think it's fair to say that no nonfiction PB...I think it's fair to say that no nonfiction PB can be replaced by a chapter book. The PB form is so unique and it allows readers time and space to contemplate the science ideas as they look back and forth between the visuals and the text.<br /><br />As David says, hisbook How Much Is a Million is a great example. So are his books Where in the Wild, Where Else in the Wild and now What in the Wild. I can't think of any other books that teach observation skills in such a fun, participatory way.Melissa Stewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1337206901491734394.post-26189332568662315422010-10-25T08:39:45.554-04:002010-10-25T08:39:45.554-04:00What a great idea, David! I'll jump right in ...What a great idea, David! I'll jump right in with my "Science Play" series. These are interactive picture books, designed to be read by an adult to a child so that they stop reading after a few pages, do an activity, make a discovery and come back to the book to read some more. Ultimately both come to understand some non-intuitive science concept. The titles are:<br />I See Myself (why you see yourself in a mirror; I Get Wet (why water wets you); I Fall Down (gravity and weight) and I Face the Wind (why the wind pushes you--A Sibert Honor book).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07214356318088069618noreply@blogger.com