12 The Society of Children ’ s Books & Illustration Lovers – Newsletter # 1 – August 2013
control ." Who can not turn the page of a good picture book ? Once you open the book , there ' s no controlling the turn of pages--you have to do it . A perfect example is the work of Denise Fleming-- her books spill out of the covers , so that it feels like the action extends beyond the edges of the paper and boards . I love this about picture books--the feeling of vibrancy even in so called " quiet " books . They hum , these books do , even when they are closed .
�
“ What make a good young picture book ?” Maurice Sendak once said that , with very little people , you need to tempt them into turning the pages to see what ’ s next , rather than trying to eat the book like a cookie . He was speaking primarily about his drawings , but I think the same holds true for the words . So . . . language that is vital and seductive . Contagious language — words so delicious a young child will wish to taste them , possibly repeat or chant them . A story that originates in the author ’ s heart , rather than head , since young children are nearly all feeling . And , of course , a wonderful story ( in the true meaning of wonderful ). A story that stimulates and simulates the fabulous imagination of young children . A “ me , me , me !” story--one in which there is barely a boundary between the child who is being read the story and the child or child substitute in the story . In other words , a story into which a young child can easily step in his or her imagination .
�
Picture books must appeal not only to the child , but also to the adult who reads them aloud , or simply hands them joyfully over to the child . It is this combination--the sharing of a loved book--that will have the most impact . When I imagine picture books , I think of the child responding to my delight in the reading , anticipating the turn of each page . In some books , we oooooh and ahhhh over the pictures ; in others , it ’ s the rhythm that has our attention .
� What makes one picture book a bestseller and another a flop ? While there ’ s no way to predict a bestseller , many of the most successful picture books have some ( or all ) of these factors :
� Illustrations that are colorful , varied and full of movement . Successful picture books surprise the reader by the art on the next page — whether it ’ s by using an unexpected image for humor , or using a different perspective ( looking at something from above rather than below , or close up rather than far away ), or using mixed media in ways artists haven ’ t done before , etc .
� ( FYI : If you are an author , you ’ ll be paired with an illustrator by your publisher , so generally authors have no control over this factor . Publishers tend to match lesser known authors with well-
12 http :// www . meetup . com / The-Society-of-Childrens-books-and-illustration-lovers /