Picturebook Literacy Analysis

Janea Irby
The picturebook is a book format not a genre. The picturebook format is
used with books for all ages. These books convey their message through
their illustrations and text. Some picturebooks only use illustrations in
wordless formats. In picturebooks, illustrations are just as important as the
text.
Describe each genre below using a picturebook format, list two books for
each that you have read and analyzed according to Hucks Guidelines on
pg 82:
1) Fiction/Fantasy picturebooks: have events that occur outside
the ordinary laws that operate within the universe. Fantasy stories
often involve journeys or quest.
( A Bad Case of Stripes
by David Shannon, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak)
2) Multicultural picturebooks: books that depict a variety of
ethnic, racial, and cultural groups. These books allow young children
the opportunity to develop their understanding of others, while
affirming children of diverse backgrounds.
(Dumpling Soup by
Jama Kim Rattigan, Mixed Me by Taye Diggs)
3) Contemporary Realistic Fiction picturebooks: includes stories
that could happen to people or animals. The characters are made up,
but their actions and feelings are similar to those of people we could
know. These stories often take place in the present time and portray
attitudes
and
problems
of
contemporary
people.
(The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, Velma Gratch and the Way Cool
Butterfly by Alan Madison)
4) Nonfiction/Informational picturebooks: emphasize documented
facts. They inform and entertain young readers by the excellence of
presentation, illustration, and research. They can be written about
any aspect of the physical, biological, or social world.
(The
Watcher: Jane Goodall's Life with Chimps by Jeanette Winter, The
Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn)
Using picturebooks that show people from other cultures in contemporary
roles ,as well as, using books that talk about the ways that other cultures
have influenced American culture can teach cultural awareness. Balancing
your library with many cultures can help students see themselves
represented and avoid stereotypes. Picturebooks creates critical readers by
allowing children to analyze illustrations, experience different mediums,

styles, line, and

Picturebook Analysis
My Many Colored Days,Dr. Seuss,1996
Children's Picturebook
ages 2-5 years old
This book is a wonderful way for parents to talk with children about their
feelings. Using a spectrum of vibrant colors and a menagerie of animals,
this unique book does for the range of human moods and emotions. With
Johnson and Fancher's atmospheric, large-scale paintings bursting off the
pages, Dr. Seuss's vision is brought to life. This rare and beautiful book is
bound to appeal to both the innocent young and the most sophisticated
seniors.
Discuss how the books features could engage readers to promote
literacy growth:
This book describes different animals and emotions using very descriptive
adjectives that can promote literacy. There is also a lot of repetition used
throughout the book which allows readers to receive practice and further develop
comprehension

Discuss format and page layout: The illustrators and authors use a
variation of line, space, and color for the format and layout. I feel this is
very
Content: As mentioned before the content is explaining different emotions
using colors and animals with very vibrant colors in the paintings and
descriptive adjectives in the text
Describe characters: There is one character that explains and transforms
into different animals depending on the "color of the day" . This character
is not given a name or a plot in the story.
Illustrations/Style & Color: The paint brushes of husband-and-wife team
Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher whose stunning, expressive paintings
reveal such striking images as a bright red horse kicking its heels, a cool
and quiet green fish, a sad and lonely purple dinosaur, and an angrily
howling black wolf. Using a spectrum of vibrant colors and a menagerie of
animals, this unique book does for the range of human moods and
emotions
Describe how you would you use this book in a classroom to
promote literacy learning? I wold use this book with young readers to
promote literacy in vocabulary, character traits, colors and emotions, This
is a very whimsical book that allows students to use their imagination.

Hyperlink:www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU9bfmwNkXM
Rate book on a scale of 0 to 5: I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 based
on the creative aspect and the vibrant colors used in the illustration
paintings. I also liked that the illustrations were actually paintings so
children can see the different mediums that can be used. I would have
liked to see more concrete characters and more text with more
descriptions for other colors not mentioned in the book. I would also like to
have experienced a better ending to the story.