Books with illustrations or without?

[CuriousJorgi]

Doesn't matter to me

[sammi8764]

I like illustrations because it helps me to better picture characters and scenes, and if I didn't quite understand what was going on most of the time the illustrations help.

[Lovely_Ink]

I tend to gloss over illustrations when I'm reading. Sometimes I go back and look at them but not always.

[H0LD0Nthere]

Wow, great question. Wish I could read everyone's replies.

Maps are the best. I have read many a book where I wished a map had come with the book. When there is a map included, I often mind myself flipping back frequently to consult it. In a few books I have read, a map or house plan was actually critical to understanding the action.

Illustrations of the scenes ... hm. My kids like chapter books with about one illustration a chapter. Flipping thru the illustrations, they get intrigued and are motivated to keep reading. For this, I prefer line drawings. Hate illustrations obviously done on a computer.

As a big person, I don't need illustrations throughout, but for the cover, I do prefer a good painting over a photograph or an abstract image. I like to get an initial mental image of the character, which I can then develop as the book progresses. Pet peeve: cover artists who have not read the book carefully enough. A character's hair is the wrong color, or maybe they even lack a beard that the book says they have, or something like that.

This is why I also like a bit of physical description at the beginning. It helps me keep track of the characters, plus I hate to go through half a book having one mental image of a character, only to be forced to change it by an offhand reference to "her blond hair" or "his beard." WHAT? She's a brunette! Didn't you get the memo, author?

[prarich]

I prefer only children's books with illustrations. It helps them and even us parents visualize and read out stories to them. For adult books I prefer books without illustrations.

[ttuso22]

Preferably no illustrations unless it is tastily drawn with the chapter title to give a sneak peek into the chapter's plot!

[diggks58]

I don't really like illustrations, but some nice cover art is great. I really like being able to visualize characters and scenes in my head. My imagination can go wild! Some writers are so gifted a description that it is rather easy to visualize many books.

[raindropwriter]

I like books with illustrations more but it doesn't matter really.

[SidnayC]

When I was younger around 9/10 I could not even fathom reading a book without illustrations because that was the best part. Jacquelin Wilson's books always had illustrations and I remember that when I was reading them and got to a particular page which did not have a picture... I would quickly read the page so fast to get to the page with a picture.

But I'm a big girl now so no pictures!

[Hannaa_Campbell]

It depends. If it's a picture that a character in a book drew or took, then yep. All for them. But when they're illustrated, I tend to sway against them. It can just seem too childish.

[SidnayC]

I don't think I've ever seen a fiction novel for those above the age of 16 with illustrations in it.

[anahyy_t]

i prefer to without illustrations. I love imagining the character's in my mind. To use my imagination about characters, places, everything!

[Titanoboa92]

Either way, whichever fits the story the best. Some stories are better with illustrations and others are better without.

[RobertManchester]

If it's a fiction book without every time for me as they your mind can be free to make up what it's like

[untiltomorrow_28]

I do like illustrations. For example, if you are reading a fantasy like The Lord of the Rings or a George R.R. Martin novel, using an illustration of a map really helps. Sometimes, you can't always imagine what it is their trying to describe, especially when fantasy might come not so easy to some.