Name: ______Date: ______Class: ______

Analysis of a Picture Book Assignment

To start analyzing a book, read your book in some different ways, jotting down anything you notice after each experience. Use your notebook to write down notes and/or the answers to the questions provided, but don't get stuck by them. Some ways of reading or questions may not yield any results for you or your book, others may.

1. Read the book straight through.

What strikes you as most important?* Try to answer the question: "What IS this book?" --try for a simple phrase like 'a poetic tribute to friendship', 'a straightforward tale of death and mourning', 'a wild romp through the first week of school' (It's OK if you can't do it yet or you are not satisfied, this is just a first try.)

2. Read only the text, ignoring the illustrations.

Can the text stand alone? Do you notice any patterns of story, of language? Is there a climax, a main character? What literary element stands out in the composition, if any?

3. Read only the illustrations, ignoring the text.

Now what happens? Do the illustrations tell the story by themselves? What is missing, if anything, without the words? How would the story be different if it were told only by the illustrations? What do the illustrations tell you--about character and setting, for example-- that you cannot tell from text alone? Do the illustrations change the meaning of the text?

4. Read aloud, listening to the sound of the text.

Is there rhythm or rhyme? Is the language poetic, spare, humorous? What adjective comes to mind to describe your text? Is it easy or difficult to read aloud? How does the language enhance or detract from the aesthetic whole? Is there repetition of certain phrases or sounds? What effect does this have?

5. Read to notice where the text breaks.

Would your experience of the story, of the language be different if the lines were broken in different places? What effects are the result of the choices that were made? Do line breaks slow you down? Move you to turn the page? Have a certain pattern? Are there some pages with more text than others? Some pages with no text? How does this affect your experience of the story? Do text breaks direct readers to assume a certain pace in their reading?

6. Read to notice the illustrator's choices.

Exactly what does the illustrator chose to depict in relation to the text on each page? Does the illustration take place before, during, or after the events in the text?Do the illustrations comment on a character's situation? Do the illustrations give us a character's perspective on events, or are we granted an omnipotent view of characters and events?

7.Read the colors.

What colors does the illustrator use? Are there various hues, saturations, tones of the same color? Do the colors change with changes during the story? Are certain colors associated with certain characters or events? Do you find contrasting or harmonious use of color? How does color complement, expand, enhance story?

8. Read for the page layout.

Where are illustration and text placed on the page? To what effect? Is there a consistent pattern or is there variation? Why? Is there any significance in the choice of typefont?

These ideas may get you started. However, they are not a checklist. Your book may beg consideration of line, of texture, of comparison to a story about which it is a spoof, of subtlety or directness or playfulness of language, of character development, of mood, of. . . .

*If you are immediately aware of one aspect of a book, read the book for that particular quality--you are probably on to something important.

Consider the Following

Narrative Level

What does it say?

Simple, understandable level.

Physical conflict in plot.

Does it make you want to turn the page?

Does it employ any tricks to make you turn the page?

Interpretive Level

Does it ring true?

Do you care?

More than physical, becomes physical and psychological

Does the work have integrity--not manipulating

Is there validity and consistency in the author's created world

Residual Level

A residue of meaning

"Hey, this is a really important book"

Transcends simple story--usual personal and idiosyncratic