The core texts for my picture book literature theory course:
Baillie, A. Drac and the Gremlin. A story about a girl and a boy playing make-believe. The text is entirely high fantasy, the pictures are a mundane little boy and girl playing in their backyard.
Baillie, A. Dragonquest. I don't really get this book. It's about a typical fantasy journey to slay a dragon. Full of monsters and so on, the experienced knight and 'you' get to the top of the mountain and see no dragons. Then the pictures reveal that the landscape is a dragon, and the knight doesn't realise, but 'you' do.
Banyai, I. Zoom I love this book so much. No words, just pictures. Each page is a zoomed out version of the picture before. Has to be seen to really appreciated I think.
Browne, Anthony. Voices in the Park. A remake of an earlier picture book by the same author, this is a tale told from four different perspectives. Layers of meaning.
Browne, Anthony. The Tunnel. In depth look at a brother and sister who are very different. Lots of references to fairytales in the pictures, just lovely.
Clement, R. Just Another Ordinary Day. Another text/image argument book, the text describes a typical school day and the images show different outrageous interpretations of the text.
Crew, Gary. Tagged This book grew on me. It's a reflection on war, war veterans, idealised versions of war and a boy who's lost his dog. The images are a mixture of cartoon, realistic and collage.
Crew, Gary. The Lost Diamonds of Killiecrankie. I don't get this book yet, but I intend to actually read it and then maybe I will. It's an incredibly text heavy fake record of an expedition. It's got letters and telegrams and yeah, field reports.
Crew, Gary. The Watertower Love this one. It's a scary story about a small town in the Australian desert and something very very odd going on in the watertower.
Fox, Mem. Wilfred Gordon MacDonald Partridge. A sweet story about a little boy who is friends with all the people at the next door old folk's home.
Gleeson, L. The Princess and the Perfect Dish. I have never seen this book.
Gray, N. I'll take you to Mrs Cole. London story about a boy left alone by his working mother who overcomes his fear of neighbour Mrs Cole and becomes friends with her family.
Gray, N. Running Away from Home. A small boy runs away from home to the end of the drive way. Pretty sweet.
Hathorn, Libby. Way Home. A small boy finds a kitten and together they make their way home through the city at night.
Hutchins, Pat. Rosie's Walk. A chicken called Rosie goes for a walk. There's a fox pursuing but she doesn't realise.
Magorian, Michelle. Jump. A boy wants to do ballet because he loves jumping. I think he gets convinced to play basketball instead, which is why I think I don't like this book.
Mahy, Margaret. The Man Whose Mother Was a Pirate. Eh. A weird small man takes his mother who is a pirate to sea in a wheelbarrow. I don't understand why some people find this book appealing.
Moyes, L. Alphabet Apartments. An alphabet book about different places to live.
Rosen, Michael. We're Going on a Bear Hunt, the old rhyme made into a charming picture book about a family walk. A huge favourite with kiddies at the library.
Sendak, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are. Well, everyone knows this one.
Sheldon, Diane. The Whales' Song. A small girl living on a coast sort of communes with whales. Gorgeous pictures.
Thompson, Colin. The Paradise Garden. A boy runs away from his inner city apartment and moves into the public gardens, which are idyllic.
Vivas, J. Nativity. I haven't read this book.
Wagner, J. The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek. I like this one, it's about a bunyip coming into existence and then wondering what it is.
Wild, M. Let the Celebrations Begin Haven't read this one either.
Wild, M. There' s a Sea in my Bedroom Haven't read this one.
Williams, M. Mr William Shakespeare's Plays. The token graphic novel, and a poor choice in my opinion. Ugly figures portray some Shakespeare plays in comic format. I suspect would put children off Shakespeare, but that's just my opinion.
Posted by jenni at December 23, 2006 10:58 AM