Essay Plan

Here is my essay plan which outlines all the main avenues of investigation l intend to take.  This will certainly help me to clarify my direction and train of thought once l begin the writing.

ABSTRACT (100 words)

Write a brief overview of the essay theme; including background, [could include here ‘objectives’] methods, results and conclusions [could also include here ‘limitations’]

CONTENTS

A Contents page will be included (Check all page numbers are accurate)

INTRODUCTION (2oo words approx)

The modern picturebook is defined by Salisbury and Styles (2012) “…by its particular use of sequential imagery, usually in tandem with a small number of words, to convey meaning.” However many picturebooks contain no text within the story and so are therefore ‘wordless’.  This essay will examine pictures in picturebooks and investigate their impact upon and relevance to emotional and educational development in readers.  The focus of the essay will be primarily centred around wordless picturebooks with some investigation into examples which tackle themes such as grief, immigration and bullying and are thus defined as being “controversial” or “challenging”.  Thorough analysis will be made of evidence available by looking at numerous reports published by experts in the field, as well as by considering primary source examples of picturebooks as supporting evidence.  A variety of theories will be employed to study the relevant angles of approach, including Semiotics, Redundancy and Entropy and Iconography and Iconology; with concepts such as culture, class, gender and language being important considerations throughout evidence analysis.  These concepts undoubtedly contribute to reader understanding of images, and this essay will consider these carefully and comprehensively before drawing any conclusions as to their value.  The aim is to show that, by studying available research and evidence how [wordless] picturebooks contribute to educational and emotional development before finally conclusively advocating their value as a learning resource tool.

MAIN BODY (Five sections)

The essay will present the argument by dividing the essay into sections (see bullet points above) and give prime importance to critical evaluation and analysis using the theories and concepts identified, while also connecting the findings to my own practice.  Illustrations will be also included to enhance my argument and to provide visual understanding of points made.

·         Picturebooks and wordless picturebooks: A Brief history and background (350 words)

Look at social change, audience, history.  Look at examples of early illustration such as Trajan’s Column and Bayeux Tapestry, then early books such as chap books, invention of printing, Caldecott’s early picturebooks up to the modern day.  Reference examples:

Salisbury, M., Styles, M., 2012, Children’s Picturebooks: The Art of Visual Storytelling.  London: Lawrence King Publishing.

Briggs, R., 2013, The Snowman, London: Puffin Books

·         How do pictures work and how do children learn to ‘read’ them? (1,000 words)

Look at theories such as redundancy and entropy, semiotics, stereotypes, binary opposites, denotation and connotation.  Consider concepts such as theories and ideas and the mind.  Reference examples:

Doonan, J., 1993, Looking at Pictures in Picture Books.  Glos: Thimble Press.

Evans, J., 1998, What’s in the Picture? Responding to Illustrations in Picturebooks.  London: SAGE.

Cole, H., 2012, Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad, NY: Scholastic Press.

Frazee, M., 2014, The farmer and the Clown, NY: Beach Lane Books.

Examine the factors which enable children to understand images, looking at concepts such as education and the mind, as well as theories such as interpellation, iconography and iconology, psychological and psychological.  Reference examples:

Evans, J., 1998, What’s in the Picture? Responding to Illustrations in Picturebooks.  London: SAGE.

Graham, J., 1990, Pictures on the Page.  Sheffield: NATE.

·         Do pictures in picturebooks help to develop emergent reading skills and how do they aid  the development of visual literacy and social imagination? (1350 words)

Looking at the concept of education and using theories of the mind, education and society, Berger’s Ways of Seeing, iconology and iconography, interpellation and psychological and psycho-analytical look at the studies undertaken by experts in the field.  Reference examples:

Arizpe, E., Styles, M., 2005, Children Reading Pictures: Interpreting Visual Texts [e-book].  London:  RoutledgeFalmer

Lysaker, J., Hopper, G., 2015, A Kindergartner's Emergent Strategy Use during Wordless Picture Book Reading [online]. The Reading Teacher, Vol: 68, pages 649–657. 

Explain how they encourage sequential thinking, keen observation, storytelling, discussion and de-coding, looking at theories mentioned in previous section.  Reference examples:

Galda, L., & Short, K., 1993, Visual Literacy: Exploring Art and Illustration in Children’s Books [online]. The Reading Teacher, March 1993, Vol: 46, Issue 6, pp 506-516.

Lysaker, J., Miller, A., 2013, Engaging social imagination: The developmental work of wordless book reading [online]. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, June 2013 vol. 13 no. 2 147-174. 

Salisbury, M., Styles, M., 2012, Children’s Picturebooks: The Art of Visual Storytelling.  London: Lawrence King Publishing.

Serafini, F., 2014, Exploring Wordless Picture Books [online]. The Reading Teacher, Vol: 68, Issue 1, September 2014, pp. 24-26. 

·         Who benefits from wordless picturebooks? (crossing boundaries) (1000 words)

Explain that wordless picturebooks cross cultural, linguistic, generational and gender boundaries.  Look at concepts such as language, gender, religion, culture, class, generational, and theories such as sociological, Marxism and multi-cultural.  How these books can aid such a broad range of people in their educational and emotional development.  Reference examples:

Arizpe, E., 2013, Meaning-making from wordless (or nearly wordless) picturebooks: what educational research expects and what readers have to say [online]. Cambridge Journal of Education, 43 (2).

Colledge, M., 2005, Baby Bear or Mrs Bear? Young English Bengali-speaking children's responses to narrative picture books at school [online].  Literacy, Volume 39, Issue 1, pages 24–30.

Louie, B., & Siershinski, J., 2015, Enhancing English Learners' Language Development Using Wordless Picture Books [online].  The Reading Teacher, Vol: 69, issue 1, July / August 2015, pp 103-111.

·         How do picturebooks deal with emotional issues and challenges? (1,700 words)

Examine examples of pictures in picturebooks which address emotional challenges and how they can aid emotional development in readers.  Explain how do they create empathic responses and develop emotional literacy.

Examples can include: 

Lawson, J, Smith, S., 2016, 'Footpath Flowers', London:  Walker Books

Tan, S., 2014, 'The Arrival', Sydney:  Lothian Books

Villa, A, 2013, 'Flood', London:  Curious Fox

Other reference examples:

Graham, J., 1990, Pictures on the Page.  Sheffield: NATE.

Lysaker, J., Miller, A., 2013, Engaging social imagination: The developmental work of wordless book reading [online]. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, June 2013 vol. 13 no. 2 147-174. 

Nikolajeva, M., 2013, Picturebooks and Emotional Literacy [online].The Reading Teacher, Vol: 67, Issue 4, December 2013 / January 2014, pp. 249-254. 

Salisbury, M., Styles, M., 2012, Children’s Picturebooks: The Art of Visual Storytelling.  London: Lawrence King Publishing.

Consider also what makes a picturebook controversial or challenging and examine their place in educational and emotional development.  Refer to ‘cross-over’ books and examine the audience using concepts such as generational, culture and politics.  Theories can include ideological inference and hegemony.

Refer to examples which fit in this genre such as:

Elliot, Z., & Strickland, S., 2008, Bird. New York:  Lee and Low Books Inc.

Tan, S., 2014, 'The Arrival', Sydney:  Lothian Books

Grimm, J., & Janssen, S., 2008, Hansel und Gretel. Belgium:  Hinstorff.

Continuing with the controversial and challenging theme, refer to examples of these books, as seen above and use following references which examine this genre:

Evans, J., 2015, Challenging and Controversial Picturebooks: Creative and Critical Responses to Visual Texts.  Oxon:  Routledge

CONCLUSION (300 words)

How do all the points raised show that pictures in picturebooks, and particularly wordless picturebooks affect emotional and educational development?: include their effect upon social imagination, crossing boundaries (cultural, generational, linguistic etc), empathy skills, creativity etc.

Here a summary of the main points and a review of the arguments will be presented and explanation of how l have tackled answering the essay title.  It will ensure that all claims made in the introduction have been investigated and completed and will also relate to how the study will impact upon my own work by outlining what l have learned.

TOTAL: 6,000 WORDS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Harvard style bibliography which can be split into sections showing web sources, books and journals, with a separate section for list of illustrations. E.g.:

Books:

Salisbury, M., & Styles, M., (2012) Children’s Picturebooks: The Art of Visual Storytelling.  London: Lawrence King Publishing (p.7).

Introduction

Hello, l am a final year BA (Hons) Illustration student, studying with the University of Hertfordshire. I live in Yorkshire with my husband and six boys (actually this is technically five now as one has gone to university...) aged between 11 and 20.  I am 41 years old and always loved drawing, painting and writing, though l did have a large gap of around 18 years where l couldn't engage in these activities due to bringing up a large family and following various types of employment.  However l have always found something creative to do, and once my youngest son began full time education l became immersed in teaching myself image making using a variety of techniques and mediums, as well as completing portrait and other art commissions.  A few years later l embarked upon studying for my illustration degree and l can't believe l am almost reaching the end of such a challenging road!

I have completed commissioned work for children's book illustrations already but upon graduation l hope to become more engaged in this genre as well as producing my own books.  Although l write stories l have a particular interest in wordless books; picture books or graphic novels.  I am particularly interested in true life tales using real characters, as opposed to the fantasy based stories which seem so prevalent today.  I feel quite strongly that children are just little people with their own ideas, experiences and problems, as opposed to children who should be hidden away from the realities of society, and l hope to produce books which deal with these issues in a sensitive and inspirational manner.  As writer / illustrator Maurice Sendak and many others agree, children's books shouldn't just be written for children, but for the wider audience to appreciate, while at the same time being sensitive and aware of the young viewer.  Children should be given more credit for their understanding of real life issues which so many of them face, and books covering issues like the ones l envisage would enable them to develop their skills in building empathy and understanding, as well as thinking of solutions to problems; all emotions they are beginning to develop by the age of around four.

Some books l find inspiring and are either similar in tone to the books l intend to produce myself, or follow the same format of wordless picture book or graphic novel include:

'Footpath Flowers' by Jon Arno Lawson (Illustrated by Sydney Smith)
Henry's Freedom Box' by Ellen Levine (Illustrated by Kadir Nelson)
'Hurricane' by David Wiesner
Here l am' by Patti Kim (Illustrated by Sonia Sanchez)
'The Arrival' by Shaun Tan
'Flood' by Alvaro F. Villa
'Rainstorm' by Barbara Lehman
'Jane, the Fox and Me' by Fanny Britt (Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault)

Sendak is a great inspiration to me and an article l read in the Guardian reflects his attitude towards what can be sometimes accused of 'dark' (though reflective of real life problems to a large extent) subject matter.  "If he had come from a happy home, says Sendak, he would never have become an artist, at least not the kind of artist he is.  Sendak's picture books acknowledge the terrors of childhood, how vicious and lonely it can be." (Brockes, 2011).  I also hope to be able to successfully convey similar emotions in my own books for children as l move through the final modules of my degree and subsequent graduation, with a view to appeal to both adults and children alike.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Britt, F., Arsenault, I, 2014, 'Jane, the Fox and Me', London:  Walker Books
Brockes, E., 2011, Maurice Sendak:  I refuse to lie to children', [Online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/oct/02/maurice-sendak-interview [Accessed 13 June 2016]
Kim, P., Sanchez, S., 2014, 'Here l am', London:  Curious Fox
Lawson, J, Smith, S., 2016, 'Footpath Flowers', London:  Walker Books
Lehman, B., 2007, 'Rainstorm', New York:  Houghton Mifflin Company Boston
Levine, E, Nelson, K., 2002, 'Henry's Freedom Box', New York:  Scholastic Press
Tan, S., 2014, 'The Arrival', Sydney:  Lothian Books
Villa, A, 2013, 'Flood', London:  Curious Fox
Wiesner, D., 1990, 'Hurricane', New York:  Clarion Books