Importance of picture books

What are Picture Books?

"Picture Book" is a book most often written for children, in which the content is conveyed through the use of pictures with or without words.

The text and illustrations combine to tell a story. With minimal words, the illustrations complement the text and provide information that is not stated in the text.

Parents can talk to their children about picture books in different ways – they can read the text, or they can tell the story from the pictures or by combining both the words and the pictures.

A unique story can be created in your own words.

Features of Picture Books

• The story line is presented in a brief and straightforward manner.
• The story contains a limited number of concepts for easy understanding.
• Text is written in a direct and simple style.

Benefits

• The illustrations in picture books help children make meaning of and understand the story.
• They help to build background knowledge which is important as children learn to read.
• Sharing picture books with a child provides an opportunity for literacy-rich conversations.
• One of the wonderful benefits of reading these books is how each child creates the story in his/her own way from the same pictures. This enhances creativity and broadens the horizons of imagination.
• It is an excellent way to build important early literacy skills- listening, vocabulary, comprehension, and increased awareness of how stories are "built.
• Children learn facts, concepts or values and apply them to real life.

Tips for parents

Below are a few tips for sharing picture books with a child-

• Make reading an enjoyable experience. Make it a routine.
• Turn off the TV or radio so your child can focus and listen to your voice.
• Choose books to help you teach. Read different kinds of books. And reread the favorite ones.
• Look at the cover and talk to the child about the book's title. You can make a few predictions about the story.
• Flip the pages and take a "picture walk". Enjoy the illustrations. Talk about what you see. This will enrich the storytelling. Now go back through the book a second time and get ready for some great storytelling.
• You can vividly create stories as per the interest of your child.
• Use different voices for different characters, add sound effects and use interesting words with effective voice modulation.
• Let the child tell the story in his/her own words. Encourage them to add information by asking "W" questions: Who? Where? When? Why?
• Finish the book with a few simple questions- What was your favorite part of your story? What was your favorite character or illustration?