Illustrations in Children's books

Discuss the May 2017 Book of the Month, Farmer Beau's Farm by Kathleen Geiger.

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Tomiwa
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Re: Illustrations in Children's books

Post by Tomiwa »

the illustration of a child's book should be simple,proper and appropriate.because a faulty foundation will really affect the child in the future
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Post by psychopathycathy »

They definitely have to be good for children especially, since it's what really grabs attention. I also find that, considering how little words are in children's books, the illustrations tell a lot of the story.
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Chrys Brobbey
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Post by Chrys Brobbey »

What I find interesting and picturesque about the book is the scene with Farmer Beau and his wife on the veranda, against the lush blue sky and the pristine greenery of the ground. Quite a good art work, adding flamboyance to the book.

-- 06 May 2017, 19:34 --
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Post by Kourtney Bradley »

The artwork in books such as this one is typically what draws me in at first. I agree, in that it definitely adds more too the book.
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Post by Manang Muyang »

I believe that illustrations are necessary for children to learn better. Even adults can better appreciate anything with a visual aid. Good visuals enhance interest, grab attention and aid recall. As the song goes, "a picture paints a thousand words!"

Why do we think Mickey Mouse remains to be Disney's most famous character to this day?
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Post by Amagine »

I don't know why but I'm not a fan of illustrations in children's books that look like they've been drawn with paper and crayons. If a child is illustrating the book, then its fine. If it's an adult, I expect better quality.
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Post by bluegreenmarina »

I think illustrations are highly important, since a lot of the time they are the determining factor in whether the child enjoys the book enough to want it read over and over. Also, for a parent that has to stare at the same few pages time and time again, a nice simple but pleasant design makes a huge difference.
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Post by stoppoppingtheP »

Illustrations are very important. For example most of Roald Dahl's books are illustrated by Quentin Blake. His drawings look like scribbles, yet at the same time they are so imaginative. I love them.

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Post by MarisaRose »

I really think illustrations make or break a children's book. In order to hold a child's interest you need to have a lot more than words. Even a story with amazing characters and a great narrative will fall flat if a child cannot be visually engaged. I think a lot of this has to do with imagination. Children's minds are always running and it's hard for them to focus just on words at such a young age. I remember as a child I really loved illustrations because they would start additional conversation. After reading the words on the page, my parents and I would always talk about what we see in the illustrations and what we liked/disliked/found funny etc. Illustrations really add so much to a children's book!
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Post by AlwaysWorthIt »

Illustrations are huge in children books. Children need to learn to love to read. However, give them a book with a bunch of words and they shy away. At first we need to hook them, make them interested. Then use the illustrations as a reference to learning, reading, and ideas/sentences that may be lost on them.
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Post by gaporter »

e-tasana-williams wrote:For me, the illustrations in this book were a bit flat. They had a feel of being computer generated and did not draw me into the story.
I agree with this sentiment. I was not too impressed by the illustrations in this book. But I guess the beauty of computer generated art is that the field is now open to anybody, rather than being limited to specialized artists.
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Post by noorsawhney »

I think the importance depends on how old the child is. For young children and infants, illustrations and especially colours help children's to learn. If they can visually see what the word looks like they will probably learn it easier! For older children, illustrations can still be enjoyable but not so helpful as they distract from reading the words on the page.
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Post by Rebecca Henderson »

I think the illustrations should fit the tone of the book. Now, that's a bit hard to visualize considering the tone of most children's books is light and innocent, but think about No, David! I love that book, and not just for the prose. The illustrations really make the work come alive! You might also consider Shel Silverstein's poetry collections. His poems are illustrated sparingly but the tiny pencil characters give the words life. Illustrations are definitely important in children's books, as it fosters imagination and development, but the pictures should definitely work seamlessly with the text.
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Post by Heidi M Simone »

bluegreenmarina wrote:I think illustrations are highly important, since a lot of the time they are the determining factor in whether the child enjoys the book enough to want it read over and over. Also, for a parent that has to stare at the same few pages time and time again, a nice simple but pleasant design makes a huge difference.
I agree. Illustrations are what the children see first when they are introduced to a book, and it becomes the deciding factoring of children loving that book or not. It also may influence in trying other books. For instance, if they enjoy the illustrations in a book or two, then they might be willing to try a new book. But, if their interest wasn't held, then they might become more reluctant in trying a new book.
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Post by Donnavila Marie01 »

Jessiebessie123 wrote:Visual is the best form of inprinting at such a young age so i think it is essential.
Illustrations are essential in children's books. They are also critical. The artist has a great responsibility to make images which almost represent reality. This is to avoid confusion among kids.
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